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On the evening of September 2nd, there was a rumor circulating online that "iPhone 16 may not support WeChat". Once the iPhone is upgraded to iOS 18.2 system, it will not be able to use WeChat, and the related topic has become a hot topic on Weibo.
As soon as the news came out, netizens began to discuss it one after another. A netizen said, "To be honest, if WeChat and Apple compete, I don't think Apple can win a bit. WeChat is irreplaceable, and Apple can change it at will
But some netizens also questioned this news: "It's not that they don't support it, it's that if Tencent doesn't pay the Apple tax again, they will take down the WeChat App from the Apple Store, and all iPhone devices won't be able to install/update WeChat
On the morning of September 3rd, the reporter called Apple's official customer service to inquire whether the upcoming iPhone 16 or other models upgrading to iOS 18.2 support WeChat. Apple customer service stated that they have not received the latest news at the moment. But for users of iPhone 15 and other models, it is recommended not to upgrade to iOS 18 beta version for now.
Indeed, WeChat is an app used by many people, and Apple will hold a press conference on September 10th. As for whether the iOS 18 system will continue to support WeChat, the latest news is expected to be announced at the conference. "The customer service representative said," Please pay attention to the information on Apple's official website at that time, as there is currently no official notification.
The reporter called Tencent's official phone number, and the staff said, "We haven't received this message yet
Previously reported:
Choose between WeChat and iPhone 16? Latest response!
Tencent previously responded to the "Apple tax":

hopes to discuss achieving a triple win

It is worth noting that in August this year, Apple was exposed to consider imposing "Apple tax" on WeChat and Tiktok. At that time, some media reported that Apple was increasing the pressure on Tencent and ByteDance, imposing a 30% "Apple Tax" on WeChat ecology, and asked the two companies to cooperate in plugging the payment loopholes in WeChat and Tiktok. If the ability for developers and users to bypass the Apple ecosystem is not removed, WeChat updates will be refused in the future.
According to insiders, Apple's pressure largely points to the booming small game market and the popular short play business of Tiktok in recent years. The short drama business was previously a major disaster area for evading the "apple tax".
What is "Apple Tax":

Whenever Apple users pay to download an app through the Apple App Store or purchase digital goods or services within the app, they need to first make a payment to the Apple Pay system, which is similar to a shopping mall cashier. Apple will withhold 30% as a toll and then transfer the remaining 70% to the app developer. For example, if you give a live streamer a reward of 100 yuan, Apple will take away 30 yuan. This commission fee is also known as the 'apple tax'.
In response, Tencent executives stated that they hope to achieve commercialization on economically sustainable and fair terms. This discussion is currently underway.
There is a natural tension between the gaming industry or digital content industry and app stores, and the fundamental reason is that app stores charge up to 30% of the revenue sharing fee for games and similar forms of digital content. "Tencent executives said," The gaming industry sees this as a very heavy burden
I think there is some misunderstanding about the essence of the current situation, which is that we have not yet commercialized small games on iOS through in app purchases (bypassing payments). I believe that if we can achieve commercialization, it is not only in the interests of us and Apple, but also in the interests of game developers and users. However, we hope to achieve this goal on economically sustainable and fair terms
Tencent stated that they hope the discussion can achieve positive results, as it would be a win-win outcome. However, if there is no progress in the discussion, the current situation will continue. If there is progress in the discussion, it will bring incremental benefits to us, game developers, and possibly Apple, and will definitely bring a better experience to Apple users
Why is the controversy surrounding the "Apple Tax" ongoing?

From app developers to ordinary consumers, doubts about the "Apple tax" are gradually rising in China.
In 2021, Apple user Jin from Shanghai sued Apple Inc. and Apple Computer Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. for abusing their market dominance by purchasing four apps from the Apple App Store at a higher membership price than the Android channel, and only using Apple's in app purchasing system. He demanded compensation of 100000 yuan and a public apology from the other party. This is the first case in China where consumers have accused Apple of monopolistic behavior.
On May 29th of this year, three years later, China's first consumer lawsuit against the "Apple Tax" monopoly case was announced in the first instance. The Shanghai Intellectual Property Court ruled that Apple clearly has a dominant market position in the software market in China, but rejected consumer Jin's demands to stop the unfair high price behavior of charging a 30% "Apple Tax" and to stop the forced use of Apple Pay bundling for "in app purchases".
Not only domestically, in the first half of this year, the European Union imposed a fine of 1.84 billion euros (approximately 14.2 billion yuan) on Apple for its monopolistic behavior in the streaming music business, such as charging developers a 30% "Apple tax" and blocking access to third-party payments.
Subsequently, Apple made a series of adjustments in the EU region aimed at appeasing EU antitrust regulators, including a significant reduction in the "Apple Tax" from the original 30% and 15% (for small and medium-sized developers with an annual income of $1 million) to 17% and 10%, respectively. In some other overseas markets, the 'apple tax' has also shown varying degrees of loosening. For example, the "Apple tax" for these two types of developers has been reduced to 27% and 12% in the US market, and 26% and 11% in South Korea.
However, the "apple tax" in the Chinese market still follows the standards of 30% and 15%. From a rate perspective, currently, China has the highest commission rate for Apple's in app transactions worldwide.
According to third-party data statistics agency Sensor Tower, in 2023, the "Apple Tax" will generate approximately 22.34 billion US dollars (equivalent to 160.8 billion yuan) in global revenue, and in China alone, this figure will exceed 40 billion yuan. Moreover, Apple does not allow off app transactions or third-party payments in China, while they are allowed in regions such as the European Union, the United States, and South Korea.
Many industry insiders believe that China has a huge number of Apple users, and the competition in the digital market is relatively fierce. Its "Apple Tax" standard should be on par with major overseas markets, and even lower than some overseas markets. The relevant rights and interests of Chinese consumers are expected to be better addressed and resolved.
Add more artificial intelligence

IPhone 16 may experience a comprehensive price increase
It is reported that Apple's 2024 autumn product launch event will be held at 1am Beijing time on September 10th, at which time the latest iPhone 16 series will be launched. CFRA Research's technical analyst Angelo Zino predicts that the price of the iPhone 16 series may rise across the board due to the addition of more artificial intelligence features.
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