Baidu Japan Launches Twitter News Feature on Simeji Keyboard App

Feature Allows Users to Stay Up-to-date on Trending Topics without Switching Apps

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Baidu Japan Inc. has launched a Twitter news feature on Simeji, Japan’s most popular third-party emoji keyboard app, to provide users with breaking news updates based on the topics they are discussing or searching.

This new feature allows users to stay up-to-date on trending news, like and retweet content, as well as compose original tweets without leaving the app they’re in, such as in a text message, social post or direct message.

Utilizing Twitter’s application programing interface (API), Simeji keyboard users are prompted with a breaking news notification in the suggestion bar if they input a keyword that is currently trending on Twitter. Once users opt-in to this feature, they can effectively turn any app into a Twitter feed to gain real-time insight on news relevant to their interests.

“We are excited to integrate Twitter’s API into Simeji to give our users a more comprehensive media consumption experience,” said Mr. Jiang Feng, director of Baidu’s Global Business Unit. “Twitter is one of the most highly used news platforms in the world. With this new feature, Simeji moves beyond its function as a keyboard app and becomes a platform for consuming information, enabling users to stay up-to-date on the latest trending news in real-time.”

Twitter’s API provides broad access to public Twitter data, including tweets, replies, profiles and ads. This feature is currently available on the Simeji app, and may be introduced to Baidu’s Facemoji Keyboard in the future.

The latest version of Simeji is available via the Google Play Store and the App Store. Follow Simeji on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Simeji_pr or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Simeji.me.

About Simeji

Simeji is the No. 1 free keyboard app in Japan on both iOS and Android, with over 36 million downloads. With Simeji, people can express themselves like never before with kaomoji, animated stickers, customized keyboard skins and more.

About Baidu Japan

Baidu Japan was established in December 2006. Currently, we are striving to further popularize “Simeji,” the Japanese language keyboard application for smartphones that has achieved 36 million downloads. We are also putting our efforts toward expanding other businesses, such as providing business support in China through search advertising and marketing on Baidu.com.

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language internet search provider. Baidu aims to make a complex world simpler through technology. Baidu’s ADSs trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “BIDU.” Currently, 10 ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.

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