In brief
As of October 2017, WeChat Mini Programs cannot fully replace apps because of limited functionality and network dependence. Deeper hardware and system access, alongside a change in their temporary-use positioning, would be needed to narrow the gap.
WeChat Mini Programs have been available for some time. When they first appeared, some believed they could replace mobile apps and give users a cleaner experience. WeChat Mini Programs are programs that run on WeChat as their platform and consist primarily of HTML code. Thanks to the APIs provided by WeChat, they have more permissions than ordinary web applications and can offer app-like functionality. But can they replace apps and turn WeChat into an all-powerful boss that controls everything? At present, the answer appears to be no.
Although WeChat Mini Programs continue to develop rapidly and their numbers grow by the day, users still do not seem to be removing all their apps simply because Mini Programs exist. For now, Mini Programs appear to remain tools for light use, unable to shoulder the responsibility of an entire application ecosystem. Why are Mini Programs currently struggling to replace apps? Let us explore the issue.
Mini Program drawback 1: Limited functionality
Mini Programs are based on the WeChat platform, which is one of their defining features. This brings advantages that ordinary apps lack, such as requiring no installation and working easily across platforms. However, it also confines Mini Programs to WeChat and prevents them from providing many functions that apps can deliver with ease.
For example, restrictions in the API make it difficult for Mini Programs to interact with the system. Apps can communicate with the system easily: profile-switching apps, for instance, can change system volume, vibration, network connections and other settings. Mini Programs cannot perform these common functions. Similarly, apps can readily send users push notifications anytime and anywhere, whereas Mini Programs cannot do so because of background operation restrictions and other limitations.
There is no doubt that Mini Programs offer an incomplete set of functions compared with ordinary apps. Look closely, and you will find that they often handle only simple tasks such as displaying information.
Mini Program drawback 2: Limited usage scenarios
Mini Programs are essentially web applications. One of their main selling points is that their code cannot be stored locally, although it is cached locally. The benefit is that users do not need to install an app at all, saving storage space and explaining the clean experience Mini Programs provide. But this comes with a trade-off: once the network connection disappears, Mini Programs are immediately left helpless. Apart from a few locally cached functions, such as switching between screens, they can do nothing.
As web applications, Mini Programs depend heavily on network connectivity
Although many apps also need a network connection to work, Mini Programs all require one, which can undermine users’ confidence in the entire platform. In fact, some Mini Program functions can run using local code. Certain calculator and timer Mini Programs, for example, can continue working if the network connection is disconnected after they are opened. Overall, however, users still would not expect them to replace apps with the same functions. After all, apps that work with or without a network connection are more dependable than Mini Programs that work only intermittently.
Will WeChat Mini Programs always be little more than a diversion?
Does this mean Mini Programs will always be constrained by these drawbacks and unable to challenge apps? Not necessarily. In fact, the thinking behind Mini Programs is not unique to WeChat. Mini Programs are essentially web applications, and many others have already tried to replace traditional software with web applications.
iOS1 had no App Store; Apple originally intended to build a system that relied entirely on Web Apps to extend its functionality
However, what iOS failed to achieve was implemented in WebOS and Firefox OS. WebOS and Firefox OS may be unfamiliar to many people, but both adopted a more radical approach than other systems: all applications were developed in HTML and JS, using WebAPI to provide functionality and even access hardware. Their applications’ HTML and JS code could also be stored locally, giving web applications on these two systems a much wider range of uses than ordinary web applications.
Applications and even system functions in WebOS and Firefox OS are built on web languages
Why have web applications kept falling short so far? We need to consider both individual efforts and the course of history. Apple’s initial attempt to support only web applications in iOS may also have reflected its belief in the potential of HTML5, but the timing was wrong. Disputes among major standards organisations delayed the establishment of the HTML5 specification, and the associated development was inevitably postponed repeatedly. The historical conditions simply had not yet reached the necessary stage. By the time WebOS and Firefox OS arrived, HTML5 was more mature, but neither was a major player capable of capturing a substantial market share. This was a limitation of their individual efforts. For WeChat Mini Programs to replace apps, historical conditions are now closer than ever to being favourable, but more work is still needed on the individual effort front.
On the one hand, Mini Program development needs to go deeper. Mini Programs’ ability to access hardware and system functions remains very limited, and they have yet to fully explore the potential of HTML and JS code. The APIs currently available for Mini Program development generally cover only relatively basic functions, such as simple network requests, file access, media playback and information retrieval. HTML5 and JS can do much more than this.
WeChat Mini Programs still have considerable development potential if they are to replace apps
On the other hand, Mini Programs need a change in positioning. Their code currently cannot remain locally stored for the long term, and they are positioned as products that users can open immediately and discard after use. Although this provides a clean experience, it is indeed a major reason for the gap between Mini Programs and traditional apps. There are gains and losses either way. The question is whether Tencent truly intends Mini Programs to replace apps completely or merely to serve as a strong complement to them.
http://sina.com.hk/news/article/20171015/0/5/2/%E5%8F%AA%E6%98%AF%E9%80%97%E4%BD%A0%E7%8E%A9-%E7%82%BA%E4%BD%95%E5%B0%8F%E7%A8%8B%E5%BC%8F%E7%9B%AE%E5%89%8D%E9%9B%A3%E4%BB%A5%E5%8F%96%E4%BB%A3App-8016073.html