Short Videos: The Era of Internet Video Has Arrived

"Short videos" have burst into WeChat 6.0!

Recently, the iOS version of WeChat was updated to version 6.0. This upgrade introduced new features such as short videos and WeChat Wallet, with the short video feature attracting the most attention.

Through WeChat's short video feature, users can record videos of up to 6 seconds and share them with WeChat friends or post them on their Moments.

The WeChat short video feature is very simple, with no settings options—only a "Press and hold to record" button for shooting. Additionally, WeChat short videos cannot be selected from existing videos on the phone, nor can friends' short videos be saved to the phone. Short videos in Moments cannot be forwarded.

Judging by the current product form of WeChat short videos, their positioning is completely different from that of Weishi, Meipai, and Miaopai. Currently, WeChat short videos are merely a tool for recording videos within WeChat. Unlike Weishi, Meipai, and Miaopai, which need to build their own social systems, WeChat short videos can leverage WeChat's existing social system from the start. Therefore, WeChat short videos do not require additional features like filters to encourage users to create interesting content to attract new users and build a social network. Free from the burden of building a social system, WeChat short videos can keep their functionality very simple.

On the first splash screen of WeChat 6.0, the WeChat team wrote the words "Video Era." So, can WeChat short videos usher in the "video era" in China's currently lukewarm short video app market?

Unlike photos, creating video content demands more from users. Moreover, the shorter the video, the harder it is to produce. WeChat short videos are only 6 seconds long—enough for a person to say two or three sentences at a normal speaking pace. Can such a short time allow ordinary users to create good content?

If WeChat short videos are merely an auxiliary feature for communication among WeChat friends, then the current product form is sufficient. However, if the WeChat team hopes that short videos can become a feature on par with Moments and usher in China's "video era," the current product form is far from enough.

As domestic wireless network environments continue to improve, video will undoubtedly become the mainstay of mobile internet. POLYV, a domestic cloud video service provider focused on cloud video services, offers top-tier cloud video services for different industries and enterprises. It provides strong video copyright protection and professional industry-specific video features, tailoring customized online video packages for clients.