China’s e-commerce giant JD.com (NASDAQ: JD) has launched a mini program platform inside its main JD’s mobile app —on iOS and Android devices— on Wednesday, inviting more than 270,000 third-party merchants on its ecosystem to develop their own mini programs to better serve clients.
The move comes after major tech companies like Tencent, Ant Financial, Baidu, ByteDance, and Meituan have all launched similar mini program platforms, KrASIA reported.
Unlike standalone apps, mini programs, also known as mini apps, are hosted inside a native app such as WeChat and Alipay, and can be accessed on-demand to perform a variety of functions such as ride-hailing, e-commerce, tickets reservations, among others.
China Telecom, the country’s third-largest telecommunication carrier by users, and fast-food chain Burger King are already testing their mini programs on JD.com’s platform, according to the e-commerce giant.
This article is part of KrASIA’s “China Brief” section, where KrASIA’s reporters will provide quick daily updates about the tech ecosystem in China.