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WeChat is currently the most popular messaging platform in China and it’ll be an understatement to say that it enjoy a user base of a significant size. Tencent, the company behind the app, in partnership with Xirodrone, had at CES unveiled a drone called ‘Ying’, which will lets you record 4K video and stream it to WeChat in HD (720p) quality. Now, we have a price tag and release date for the Ying, which will be available later this month in China at roughly $299 (approximately Rs. 20,000).
As reported earlier this year, the drone was developed by Tencent in collaboration with Qualcomm and Chinese drone-maker Zerotech. Ying is a foldable drone that weighs less than a pound, and comes with a case to carry it around.
DJI, the most popular name in the business, unveiled its foldable drone Mavic Pro, priced at $999 (approximately Rs. 66,700) last month. Interestingly, at the time of launch, the company pointed out that Mavic Pro could be folded down to the size of a ‘water bottle’.
However, it should be noted that the two drones are not in direct competition as their target audiences are different. With Ying, Tencent is aiming for entry-level audiences, while DJI’s offering can be utilised by professionals.Tencent’s Ying will be available in a range of colour options and might attract audiences that have never used the technology before. Due to its integration with the messaging platform, it might even bring the technology into mainstream use.
We will have to wait for an official word from the company to see if the quadcopter will be eventually launched in other countries as well.