WeChat has just updated its public platform, opening up WeChat certification to service accounts, releasing 9 advanced interfaces, adding a developer Q&A system, and revamping the backend management interface of the WeChat Public Platform.
Among these updates, the most anticipated is the release of nine advanced interfaces to developers. These interfaces include:
- Speech Recognition Interface
- Customer Service Interface
- OAuth2.0 Web Authorization Interface
- Parameterized QR Code Generation Interface
- User Geolocation Acquisition Interface
- Basic User Information Retrieval Interface
- Subscriber List Retrieval Interface
- User Grouping Interface
- Multimedia File Upload/Download Interface
As shown in the diagram above, the WeChat official team provided detailed introductions for each of the nine interfaces. Let's explore the significance of WeChat opening up these interfaces.
1. Speech Recognition
Description: Through the speech recognition interface, user-sent voice messages will also provide the text content identified from the voice message.
Significance: Third parties can now leverage WeChat's self-developed speech recognition technology. This means WeChat is officially opening its speech recognition capabilities to third parties. Previously, iFeng had an exclusive interview with WeChat's "Pattern Recognition Center" team, which developed Tencent's proprietary speech recognition technology.
2. Customer Service Interface
Description: Through this customer service interface, public accounts can reply to users within 12 hours after the user sends a message.
Significance: Previously, interactions between subscribers and public accounts were limited to one-to-one conversations. Now, if a subscriber interacts with a public account, the account can continuously send messages to the user within a 12-hour window. This enhances the message-sending capabilities of public accounts.
3. OAuth 2.0 Web Authorization
Description: Through the web authorization interface, public accounts can request user authorization.
Significance: Similar to the account authorization features in Weibo or QQ, this means that WeChat accounts are now officially functioning as a unified account system.
4. Parameterized QR Code Generation
Description: Through this interface, public accounts can obtain a series of QR codes with different parameters. After users scan and follow the public account, the account can analyze the effectiveness of each QR code based on these parameters.
Significance: For example, previously placing a QR code on the iFeng website or iFeng Weibo would yield the same result: gaining followers. Now, it’s possible to analyze where the subscribers come from. Developers can embed special information in links for more data analysis.
5. User Geolocation Retrieval
Description: Through this interface, public accounts can obtain the geolocation of users when they enter the conversation session with the public account.
Significance: There are two scenarios where user geolocation can be obtained: during a conversation with the public account or every 5 seconds within the conversation interface (with user consent). This enables navigation services or geofencing applications within WeChat.
6. Basic User Information Retrieval
Description: Through this interface, public accounts can retrieve basic user information, including avatar, name, gender, and region, based on the encrypted user OpenID.
Significance: Previously, this was a very high-level permission. With access to basic user information, CRM management backends can now be implemented, making it easier for businesses to manage their users.
7. Follower List Retrieval
Description: Through this interface, users can retrieve the OpenIDs of all followers.
Significance: Previously, there was no way to know how many people followed you or who those followers were. Now, you can know exactly who your followers are.
8. User Grouping Interface
Description: Through this grouping interface, public accounts can move users into different groups or create/modify groups in the backend.
Significance: Users can be grouped accordingly. For instance, if iFeng organizes a “Meizu MX3” phone experience event with 100 attendees, they can be grouped together, and subsequent event photos can be sent exclusively to these 100 attendees. For businesses, this represents VIP member management and forms part of a CRM management platform.
9. Multimedia File Upload/Download
Description: Through this interface, public accounts can upload/download multimedia files on WeChat servers when needed.
Significance: This means that through WeChat, music, images, and other multimedia content can be distributed. For example, QQ Music can push music to subscribers via this feature.
From the aforementioned advanced interface updates, it’s evident that while the launch of WeChat 5.0 showcased its commercialization "ambition," this update to the WeChat Official Accounts platform marks a concrete step forward. The examples given by WeChat, such as China Merchants Bank, China Southern Airlines, Guangdong Unicom, and TicWatch, indicate that WeChat envisions its public platform as a stage for transforming modern commerce.