Yet another report on the role of mobile in China, this one is pretty detailed and helpful for people who haven’t been there. The most striking part is the interconnection between online and offline thanks to the QR codes and programs that can only be opened by scanning them. The fact that iOS didn’t have that in-built for years led to their non-existence in the US.
The resulting miniprogram, called HeyTea Go, is opened by scanning a QR code and lets customers place orders without having to stand in line. Simultaneously, it created technological opportunities for the company, like online marketing and the collection of data about its patrons.