WeChat For iOS Restores Tipping System After Apple, Tencent Reach Deal

Multi-purpose social media mobile app WeChat is restoring its tipping system for iPhone users after its parent company, Tencent Holdings Ltd., reached a deal with Apple recently. This means Chinese users could once again send tips to other users through the popular platform.

Early this week, the Wall Street Journal revealed that the Cupertino giant and Chinese tech company Tencent have finally settled their tiff over WeChat’s tipping system. It can be noted that the money-giving function was suspended in 2017 when the two companies quarrelled over the system’s terms.

The tiff between Apple and Tencent began when the former updated its App Store Review Guidelines in June last year and allowed tipping, but only as an in-app purchase. This made it possible for Apple to continue to receive its full 30 percent cut from apps. Apple made another modification to its guidelines back in September to allow Apple users to send monetary gifts to others, but this time Tim Cook’s company won’t be taking a cut.

According to MacRumors, Tencent had reservations in reimplementing its tipping system at the time because WeChat’s tipping function was a free service, and the company wasn’t getting revenue from it.

The tipping system is a popular means for Chinese social network uses to send monetary gifts to content creators they follow. So with the suspension of WeChat’s tipping system, Chinese iPhone users weren’t able to tip their favorite social media influencers.

Fortunately, the system is being revived now that Tencent and Apple have reached an agreement. Tencent executive Alan Zhang announced on Monday, “In the past, companies like Apple might have had a difficult time understanding China-specific features. We now all share a mutual understanding and we’ll soon bring back the ‘tip’ function.”

Both Apple and Tencent are mum on the agreement they reached. Hence, it isn’t clear if the iPhone X maker will be receiving a cut from tips sent by WeChat users. Apple Insider claims it’s possible that the returning feature will follow a slightly different model.