Apple, Tencent find "mutual understanding" over WeChat tips - report

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS
Chinese iPhone users will once again be allowed to send tips - the financial variety - through popular platform app WeChat thanks to a new agreement between Apple and WeChat's parent company.




As part of the deal, Tencent will revamp the WeChat tipping system to send money directly to individuals, according to the Wall Street Journal. Tencent executive Alan Zhang made the announcement earlier Monday in China.

"In the past, companies like Apple might have had a difficult time understanding China-specific features," Zhang added. "We now all share a mutual understanding and we'll soon bring back the "tip" function."

Tips are a popular way for Chinese social network users to compensate content creators, but Apple balked at allowing such transactions with third-party payment systems. The company first ordered in-app payments that bypass the App Store's payment mechanism halted last year.

A month later, Apple updated its policy to allow tip-like functionality with in-app purchases. It's likely that the deal reached with Tencent follows a slightly different model, however, though details remain unknown.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    viclauyycviclauyyc Posts: 849member
    This is the way to see some hot naked girls.
    not that I ever use it.
    racerhomie3
  • Reply 2 of 10
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    viclauyyc said:
    This is the way to see some hot naked girls.
    not that I ever use it.
    Interesting.
  • Reply 3 of 10
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    Call it ChiPhone.
  • Reply 4 of 10
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,666member
    The key point of the understanding will be if it means Apple doesn't take a cut out of the process.

    I suppose that will be cleared up shortly.


  • Reply 5 of 10
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member
    avon b7 said:
    The key point of the understanding will be if it means Apple doesn't take a cut out of the process.

    I suppose that will be cleared up shortly.


    So what is stopping a freemium Apps getting tips instead of IAP which requires the 30% tax?

    Hope we will have more details soon.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    shaunkoreshaunkore Posts: 7member
    I can tip with the Starbucks app?  What’s the difference?  And the full tip goes to the person taking the order, it’s not cut in any way to Apple. 
  • Reply 7 of 10
    1STnTENDERBITS1STnTENDERBITS Posts: 460member
    ksec said:
    avon b7 said:
    The key point of the understanding will be if it means Apple doesn't take a cut out of the process.

    I suppose that will be cleared up shortly.


    So what is stopping a freemium Apps getting tips instead of IAP which requires the 30% tax?

    Hope we will have more details soon.
    From what I know, the lack of a quid pro quo is what defines a tip.  Freemium apps can't say they're getting tips because they're offering something in exchange for money.  Calling it a tip doesn't make it a tip.  Tippers in WeChat receive nothing in return.  
  • Reply 8 of 10
    jrg_ukjrg_uk Posts: 64member
    Is it possible that it will involve the new Apple Pay Cash, in some way?
  • Reply 9 of 10
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Apple's cut will only be ten cents now.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I wonder what Fiddy Cent thinks about all this?
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