Chat "explosion"! Android WeChat 8.0 internal test experience: Is it the same as Apple?

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WeChat has always been minimalist, and it was for this reason that it was able to carve out a niche for itself amidst the siege and blockade. However, the launch of WeChat 8.0 has shown everyone a different WeChat, no longer the "economic man" that was extremely streamlined, but with a lot more "fashion" flavor. Apple users were the first to receive the new version notification, and many Android users wanted to poke their screens to pieces. Finally, the hard work paid off. After several hours of suffering, the WeChat Android 8.0 beta version also appeared on the Internet. Let's take a look with the editor.

The Android version finally got a cross-version upgrade

1. Artistic opening screen

The opening screen is a feature that is only introduced when WeChat has a major version update, and it only appears when it is first started after the upgrade, which is a veritable "no waiting after expiration". I remember the last time I saw the opening screen was two years ago in version 7.0, which even caused a lot of speculation online. This time, WeChat 8.0 directly transformed into an artistic style, using a set of dynamic text as the opening. Careful friends will find that although both have smoke backgrounds, the Android version is actually a little different from the iOS version, with a darker and more blue tone.

Same opening screen animation as the iOS version, but with a different color tone!

2. Fully animated expressions

When the iOS version was just released yesterday, the Internet was immediately talking about "explosion", bombs, fireworks, ribbons, etc., which made Android users stunned. No wonder, the effect they see is indeed different from ours. Finally, with the support of the internal beta version, we Android users have also seen the "real appearance" of these emoticons. Don't say, it's really interesting!

All expressions have been added with "micro movements"

This time, the official upgraded all WeChat built-in emojis. When they are first sent, there will be a gradual enlargement effect, and the emojis are also embedded with micro-animations (the other party must also be using version 8.0 or above to see them). It should be noted here that this micro-animation can only appear when sending a single emoji. If several emojis are sent at the same time, it will not work.

Three sets of full-screen emoticons

In addition to the "micro-motion" emojis, there are three more dazzling full-screen dynamic effects, which are the "fireworks", "bombs" and "ribbons" that everyone is already familiar with. I won't go into details about the specific effects, but they are very cool. Moreover, when the "bomb" explodes, it will automatically activate the vibration motor of the phone, which is also amazing.

3. Floating window → negative one screen

The "negative one screen" has long been a standard feature of mobile phone manufacturers. All kinds of information and parameters, whether useful or not, are stuffed into it. No wonder it has been praised by many viewers but not popular. However, when it comes to WeChat, this thing has become a new product. Do you remember the floating window in the past? It was simple and practical, but its appearance was a bit poor.

Comparison of the new and old versions of WeChat floating window

In the new version, all "floating windows" are put into one panel, which is a WeChat version of "negative one screen". Compared with the old version of floating windows, the new negative one screen is still remarkable. For example, its thumbnail display is intuitive and convenient for finger touch, and there is no longer a limit on the number of floating windows. After the editor's test, at least dozens of them are no problem, which is simply a WeChat version of "read it later".

The only thing that feels awkward is that you have to swipe right on the WeChat homepage or click the ".." button in the upper left corner of the homepage to access the negative screen, which is not very convenient. After all, the floating window back then could be activated anytime, anywhere.

The new version requires you to open the homepage first before you can access the "negative one screen", which is not as efficient as the old version.

4. The drop-down menu is also upgraded

Corresponding to the negative one screen, there is also a new drop-down menu. WeChat also had a drop-down menu before, but it was mainly used to serve mini-programs. In WeChat 8.0, you will find that the drop-down menu has a lot of new content, such as music you have listened to, articles you have not finished reading, etc. These contents have greatly enriched the functions of the drop-down menu. With the new "negative one screen", a "nested system" has been created in the Android system. In addition, you can also easily convert unfinished articles into "floating windows", which is also very practical.

The drop-down menu has also changed a lot.

5. "Status" is online! Have you been slacking off today?

The "status" has finally been transferred from QQ to WeChat. Many people think that this is another example of Zhang Xiaolong copying QQ, but in fact, the status of WeChat is very different from that of QQ.

First of all, WeChat status is closer to life. Version 8.0 provides a total of 21 statuses, and also includes a custom status, which covers almost all aspects of our daily life. Secondly, this status is not just for others to see. It also hides a "find similar" function. When you have friends with the same status as you, you can see it directly here.

New "Status" feature

The status you set will appear in your friend list, chat window, and your own profile. Of course, for some indescribable reason, WeChat supports setting access permissions for status. For example, if you often "slack off" in the office during this period, you can block your boss openly to avoid eating a big bag of spicy noodles at the end of the year!

The status also supports setting access permissions, so... individual friends should make use of it~

6. It’s more convenient to listen to music

In the old version, if you share a song with someone and exit the playback interface midway, the song will also pause. In version 8.0, this problem has been well solved. When you exit the playback interface midway, WeChat will automatically generate a floating window for the music and continue playing. At the same time, you can also click "Create Music Video" in the lower right corner to create a video with this song as background music and send it to the video account.

After exiting the song you are listening to, a floating window will be automatically generated, and the display effect is slightly different from the old version.

7. Adding friends requires active permission setting

The friend adding panel of the new version of WeChat has also changed. The friend permissions are no longer defined by the user, but must be selected from two default options. This change is very practical, especially for some temporary friends.

New friends need to actively set permissions

Final Thoughts

WeChat's ambition is most evident in this version. In the past, WeChat only had some small and new features, and people who don't use it often may not notice any changes even after one or two years. In this WeChat 8.0, drop-down menus, negative one screen, animated emoticons, personal status, live broadcast aggregation... have shown that WeChat is not willing to be just a chat tool. Perhaps after ten years of WeChat, now is its real beginning...

Appendix: How to download the Android beta version

Seeing this, some friends must be curious about how to download this Android version of WeChat internal test 8.0? It's very simple. Just click the search button on the WeChat homepage, enter "WeChat team invites you to participate in the internal experience", and then find an entry in the search results with the signature "support.weixin.qq.com". Click it and you will be on the application page for the latest Android version of WeChat 8.0. After clicking the "Participate in the internal test" and "Download" buttons, your WeChat 8.0 journey will begin immediately.

Interested friends can experience it as usual!