WeChat beats Google to the punch, releases apps that don't need downloading or installing

Click on a link in China's top messaging app, WeChat, and you'll be taken to a rich app-like experience, but without needing to download or install anything.

Tencent, WeChat's maker, on Monday released "mini programs" (Apple wouldn't allow the word "app" to be used, it seems.)

The new mini programs work within the messaging app, and the early crop at launch include a Prisma-like photo editing app, a Pomodoro Timer productivity app, a flight search engine, and one for recipe searches.