Apple Inc. has approved a new version of Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s WeChat app, ahead of the iPhone 16 launch, granting more time for ongoing discussions regarding the changes Apple has requested for China’s most popular social media platform.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Apple has given the green light to a WeChat update that Tencent submitted for the iOS ecosystem earlier this week. This latest version introduces new features to the app’s Instagram-like WeChat Moments and live-streaming functionalities, the sources added, while requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
This approval is likely to dispel rumors in China suggesting that a disagreement between the American tech giant and China’s largest company, concerning app store fees, could escalate to the point where WeChat might be excluded from the latest iPhone models. The conflict revolves around Apple’s demand for a share of the revenues generated from transactions within WeChat’s mini-games platform, which hosts a range of popular casual games developed by numerous indie creators.
Apple has requested that Tencent prevent developers from directing users to external payment platforms via mini-games, thereby circumventing Apple’s typical 30% fee. Additionally, Apple has pushed for a ban on in-game messaging to prevent payment link-sharing, but Tencent has rejected the idea, calling it too extreme.
Although Tencent has resisted Apple’s demands so far, both companies are still engaged in negotiations to explore possible compromises for future updates. Representatives for Apple declined to comment on the matter, and Tencent did not respond to email inquiries.
