TMTPOST – The keyword "Apple WeChat" surged on trending topics today as rumors circulated that WeChat might not be compatible with the upcoming iPhone 16, with warnings advising users not to update their systems.

This rumor has ignited heated discussions online, with one user saying, "Honestly, if WeChat and Apple go head-to-head, Apple won't stand a chance. WeChat is irreplaceable, but you can easily switch out your iPhone."

However, some users questioned the accuracy of the rumor, noting, "This has been twisted. It’s not about WeChat not being supported; rather, if WeChat doesn’t comply with Apple’s demands for payments, it could be removed from the App Store, meaning no iPhone would be able to install or update WeChat."

In response, an Apple customer service representative said, "WeChat is one of the most popular apps among our customers. There's currently no information indicating that iPhone 16 will restrict access to previously available apps like WeChat." The representative added, "We haven't received any official notification regarding this."

Meanwhile, Tencent’s official response to the rumors was similarly dismissive, with a spokesperson saying, "We haven’t received any information about it."

Earlier today, rumors spread that once the iPhone 16 upgrades to iOS 18.2, WeChat would no longer function on the device. Sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to reporters that these rumors were unfounded.

An Apple customer service representative echoed this, saying, "After checking our internal resources, there is no indication that future iPhone 16 models will be incompatible with WeChat. Some of these reports are unreliable."

Apple's 2024 Fall Product Launch event is scheduled for 1:00 AM Beijing time on September 10, where the latest iPhone 16 series will be unveiled.

According to CFRA Research tech analyst Angelo Zino, prices for the iPhone 16 series may see a significant increase due to the addition of advanced AI features.

At Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, the company introduced Apple Intelligence, though currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max support some AI features. The iPhone 16 series is expected to fully integrate Apple AI, marking it as Apple’s first true AI smartphone.

Amid the controversy, Apple has been accused of pressuring WeChat to close payment loopholes in a bid to impose the so-called "Apple Tax," a 30% revenue share on WeChat’s rapidly growing mini-game ecosystem. In response, a senior Tencent executive expressed hope for a solution that is both economically sustainable and fair. Discussions on the matter are ongoing.

"There is a natural tension between the gaming or digital content industry and app stores due to the high revenue share of up to 30% imposed by app stores for games and similar forms of digital content," the Tencent executive explained. "This revenue share is seen as a significant burden by the gaming industry."

The executive clarified that Tencent has not yet commercialized mini-games on iOS through in-app purchases, adding, "If commercialization is achieved, it would benefit not just us and Apple, but also game developers and users. However, we hope to achieve this under sustainable and fair conditions."

Tencent expressed optimism that the discussions would yield positive results, noting that a successful outcome would be a win-win-win for all parties involved, including better user experiences for Apple customers. If discussions falter, the current situation will persist.

The "Apple Tax" refers to the revenue share model where app stores like Apple’s take a cut of in-app purchases. Apple’s share is approximately 30%, a standard practice among mobile platforms.

Revenue share rates vary across platforms, and while Apple’s 30% cut is not the highest in the industry, it has sparked controversy. For example, on Android, channels typically split revenue 50/50 with developers, which doesn’t account for additional costs like advertising within app stores.