APP interoperability, work harder

  Eating, shopping, entertainment, social networking, information retrieval... Almost everyone has several apps (applications) that they use every day on their smartphones.

However, the inadequate compatibility between APPs and even the phenomenon of "link blocking" have also caused many users "headache".

  Recently, the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that on the basis of the preliminary APP special rectification, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology further sorted out the hot and difficult issues of high social concern, wide influence, and strong public feedback in the Internet industry, and carried out special rectification actions in the Internet industry to require enterprises to be pragmatic. Promote different types of problems such as blocking web site links in instant messaging, so that they can be resolved step by step and in stages, so as to lead to the formation of an open, interoperable, safe and orderly market environment.

Network "blocking points" bring inconvenience

  It’s difficult to open a complete Weibo link on WeChat, are you hungry, can’t pay with WeChat, and the small video on Douyin cannot be watched on some platforms... "There are too many'blocking points' set up between different platforms!" Some consumers complained .

  The "blocking point" makes the payment checkout encounter "stuttering".

  Qi Qianxiang, who lives in Weihai, Shandong, has become accustomed to using mobile payments.

She found that several commonly used mobile payment APPs were developed and maintained very well, but their interconnection and interoperability were lacking.

"My bank card is bound to Alipay. When I need to use WeChat to send red envelopes and transfer funds on the WeChat platform, the payment interfaces of the two APPs cannot directly recognize each other in most cases. At this time, I need to put the Alipay in The money can be used with bank cards first, and then recharged to WeChat. It will be a waste of time and energy, not to mention paying more fees.” Qi Qianxiang said, she hopes that the platform can ensure the security of user information. Next, continue to improve the interconnection mechanism to provide a better user experience.

  "Blocking points" make online stores face "compatibility difficulties."

  Yang Jialin, a young man from Jiangsu, is an online shop owner, mainly engaged in the sale of various software.

He said that although most platforms do not have a "one size fits all" for external links, they often take certain restrictions on links or information on other platforms.

"For example, many merchants will establish a stable customer base through WeChat cash back and other methods in order to increase the customer repurchase rate. However, in the past, we encountered a situation that if a merchant proactively proposed'WeChat' or'QQ' on Pinduoduo 'Words may be warned. It is understandable that platforms compete with each other, but interconnection is a good thing for customers and merchants after all. After all,'customers buy good goods and merchants sell more goods' is the most real thing." Yang Jialin said.

  "Blocking points" are common among various platforms.

  Huang Shan, who has been engaged in product network promotion for many years, said that because of the different functions and main service targets of each platform, the attitude towards external links is different, but certain obstacles are generally set up.

WeChat, Taobao, Pinduoduo, Xiaohongshu, Weibo, Zhihu, Douyin... As long as there is competition or even potential competition, it is difficult to communicate with each other smoothly.

"From the perspective of users, interconnection can improve the efficiency of information acquisition, use, and delivery. The platform may have its own business plans and considerations, but it is user-oriented, and we should try our best to coordinate a relatively clear interconnection rules to get through those Unprovoked'blocking points'," she said.

Policy guidance to create a good environment

  Relevant departments have taken specific measures on how to manage "blocking points" and promote APP interconnection.

  Zhao Zhiguo, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Director of the Information and Communications Administration Bureau, said that in July this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology launched a six-month special rectification action for the Internet industry, one of which is to block website links.

"Guaranteeing the normal access of legal URL links is a basic requirement for the development of the Internet. Restricting the identification, analysis, and normal access of URL links without justifiable reasons affects user experience, harms user rights, and disrupts market order. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is currently following a special project The action plan is to guide relevant Internet companies to carry out self-examination and rectification.” He said.

  To this end, relevant departments organized and convened administrative guidance meetings, and put forward a series of guidance opinions for related enterprises to break through the "blocking points".

Zhao Zhiguo said that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will continue to urge enterprises to implement rectification and reform through various methods such as holding administrative guidance meetings.

At the same time, strengthen supervision and inspection, incorporate the problems collected by various clue channels into the ledger, and use them as the focus of supervision and inspection, and ensure that the problems can be rectified through various methods such as on-site inspection, dial test verification, and technical testing.

Ultimately, promote the formation of a good environment for Internet development that is open, standardized, and secure.

  This long-term move has been recognized by users.

Wang Xinyuan, a Shanghai resident, is concerned about the governance actions of relevant departments.

He said that the original intention of the Internet is interconnection and information sharing.

At present, there are still a large number of innovative and distinctive new APPs on the market that continue to be developed and put on the market.

If all major platforms close their doors and do their own traffic closed loops, then these apps will only have access to very little traffic and thus cannot grow.

"The government has strengthened guidance and promoted interconnection in the Internet field, which has brought more possibilities to these small and medium-sized enterprises and users, which is a real benefit!" Wang Xinyuan said. In recent days, he found that WeChat can directly open Taobao and Doubao The link to the sound is now, "The interoperability of platforms such as Douyin, WeChat, and Taobao has been enhanced, making it more convenient to use."

  Related companies responded positively.

Zhang Fuping, vice president of Beijing Bytedance, told the author that in accordance with the compliance requirements put forward by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Bytedance has completed the self-inspection and implementation of the company's products.

Among them, instant messaging software such as Duoshan and Feishu supports the sending and normal access of legal URL links; the instant messaging function (ie private messaging scenario) of non-instant messaging software such as Douyin, Toutiao, and Watermelon Video also supports legal URL links Sending and normal access.

  "The Internet is inseparable from interconnection. It is a basic requirement for the development of the Internet to ensure normal access to legal web links. It is related to user rights, market order, and industry innovation and sustainable development. ByteDance will earnestly implement relevant national policies. At the same time. , We also call on all Internet platforms to act together, clarify timetables, and actively implement them, to provide users with a safe, reliable and convenient network space, so that users can truly enjoy the convenience of interconnection." Zhang Fu commented.

Expected to release more growth potential

  Promoting APP interconnection is not only a "removal of the wall" type of rectification, but also means growth potential and opportunities.

  According to Shen Shi, executive vice president of Baidu Group and general manager of Baidu's mobile ecological business group, interconnection can greatly reduce social repeated investment, promote efficient information circulation, and promote high-quality development of the digital economy.

The new round of technological revolution has brought about more fierce global technological competition. The entire industry must avoid “involution” and commit to openness and win-win, in order to achieve high-efficiency and high-quality development, and promote more new technologies, new models, New business formats and new industries are constantly advancing.

  "Baidu launched an open source and open smart applet in 2018, which can help developers develop once and run on multiple platforms, avoiding repeated construction. This means that the same intelligent applet can not only run on Baidu's products, but also Run on any third-party platform that is willing to support open source and open ecology, such as iQiyi and Xiaohongshu, to achieve cross-platform interconnection. At present, the number of open source alliance members for this small program has reached 80." Shen Zhuo told the author, Baidu is firm We support and support the interconnection policy, and are willing to work actively with all parties to jointly promote the high-quality development of the industry.

  Chen Bing, director of the Competition Law Research Center of Nankai University, believes that in the long run, the realization of interconnection between platforms is undoubtedly a benefit, and all parties involved are likely to benefit from it.

As far as the platform itself is concerned, by absorbing the business of third-party platforms, not only can the platform ecosystem be further enriched, but with its own traffic approaching its peak, the improvement of data diversity and quality will be conducive to the discovery of data dividends.

For third-party platforms, sharing the traffic and data of large platforms can help them complete the accumulation of user traffic and key data faster, realize a positive feedback loop, and fully stimulate the vitality of market competition.

For consumer users, the opening of the platform has increased the scope of their business options, and data sharing and interoperability have also provided convenience for using and switching platforms.

  Analysts believe that interconnection is more conducive to innovation.

In the past two years, many countries in the world, including China, have continued to strengthen Internet anti-monopoly efforts, break the data barriers of large platforms, accelerate information circulation, enhance the value of data, and give full play to the overall benefits of the digital economy. This will be a new entry. Entrance to the market provides more possibilities and enhances the efficiency of industrial innovation.