Tencent Live is testing a microprogram-based tool that allows owners of WeChat public accounts to initiate and promote live-streaming sessions with their followers.
The new tool, which is currently only available to a selected group of WeChat public account owners, aims to “increase content diversity and improve content efficiency“, according to Tencent Live.
China is the biggest market for the live-streaming industry, with an estimated annual growth of 15.6% in 2018. A report by iiMedia Research published in August last year estimated that 460 million people are using live-streaming services in the country.
Though WeChat has yet to launch its own live-streaming feature, the impact of behemoth with a 1 billion daily active users testing the waters may send shockwaves through the industry.