[usethis]

I wholeheartedly agree, WeChat OA / apps were borne out of a need for a simpler, faster and lighter mobile communication channel as opposed to bloated websites and apps. Message bots reduce the barriers for interaction and offer a more focused experience: they simplify payment, reduce data load, remove or simplify account setup, offer better discoverability, etc. They are also easier to add / remove and don't install anything on your OS.

Some of these issues can be solved by the OS: offering a unified notifications center with a better customizable UX, a per channel notification history, and more freedom to define follow-up actions. But unless the OS offers an alternative to apps, the barriers to install an app will remain bigger than installing a message bot, especially for one off communications.

I see an interesting future in a consolidated, block-chained B2C communications app, with a unified API for payments, notifications, and common UI elements. I can easily add contacts, and if I want marketing, I'll install the app or visit their website.

ps. I can recommend the recent discussion around bots on the a16z podcast.

[zrail]

What good does a block chain add to a chat app?

[tommorris]

Buzzword compliance and never being able to remove private information.