Tencent has continued its rollout of new social and dating apps by launching Dengyu Jiaoyou, an anonymous messaging platform.
Users can post messages or images on a public chat room, known as the ‘Plaza’, for others to reply to in a private capacity if they are interested in dating them.
Technode noted that the app bares a resemblance to the ‘Drift Bottle’ feature which used to be available on WeChat. However, it was removed in June after pornography and prostitution adverts were repeatedly posted on the message board.
Dengyu Jiaoyou is currently only available to be downloaded on third-party Android stores in China.
Profiles are completely anonymous, with users given randomly-generated names and only four display pictures to choose from. Most of the posts appear to be from disgruntled men complaining about the lack of women.
Tencent is launching new products because the size of WeChat’s user base is declining due to the number of other platforms now available from competitors.
Video dating app Maohu came out in early November and doesn’t support written or audio messages. Singles instead engage in five minute video calls while their face is covered by a digital mask.
Quingliao was launched a couple of weeks later and is styled more like a traditional swipe-based dating app. Users are shown a limited number of potential matches each day in an attempt to create more meaningful connections.
Read more here.