In May, there were media reports that Apple had pressured Tencent and ByteDance to modify the payment rules for their mini-programs, asking ByteDance's Douyin to also make relevant changes.

The media claimed that currently, in the iOS version of WeChat Mini Programs and Douyin, users can bypass Apple Pay to avoid the 30% commission fee, so Apple hopes Tencent and ByteDance can make the necessary changes.

Later in August, there were reports that Apple had again warned Tencent and Douyin that if they did not make the changes, updates might be disallowed or even removed from the App Store.

Then, in early September, some self-media outlets suddenly changed their tone, suggesting that WeChat might not support iPhone 16, leaving users with the choice of either iPhone 16 or WeChat.

This news even spread widely. Last night, when I took a taxi, the driver asked me if WeChat would no longer work on Apple devices after hearing I was paying with my iPhone. When I asked him where he heard this, he said it was on Douyin...

To be honest, I was shocked to hear the taxi driver say that. How did the news suddenly evolve like this? It's clearly impossible.

Would Apple dare to remove WeChat from its App Store? Definitely not, and neither would WeChat allow it. It would be a lose-lose situation for both sides, serving no purpose and leaving no winner.

Given the influence of Apple and WeChat, if this situation escalates, the impact would be global. WeChat has over 1.4 billion users worldwide, and Apple has billions more. A direct confrontation would be detrimental to both parties.

In fact, the current disagreement between WeChat and Apple mainly revolves around revenue sharing for iOS mini-programs. Currently, iOS WeChat mini-programs are not commercialized, but both Apple and WeChat hope to achieve commercialization for mutual benefit.

Apple wants to charge a uniform 30% tax, but Tencent believes this is not feasible as most mini-programs belong to small and medium-sized enterprises that cannot afford the 30% commission. They hope for a reduction.

Both parties are currently in negotiations. Even if they fail to reach an agreement, WeChat would not be removed from the App Store. At most, Tencent would state that its mini-programs are not commercialized, meaning no revenue would be generated for either party.

So, let's not spread false rumors. It's not true that users have to choose between WeChat and iPhone 16. It's more likely that both parties will negotiate a suitable revenue-sharing model. Considering Tencent's size, Apple will also consider making concessions based on specific circumstances.

Then, the iOS version of WeChat mini-programs can smoothly commercialize, and other similar platforms will follow suit, adopting the revenue-sharing model established between Tencent and Apple. Everyone can reach a consensus and work together towards a commercialized ecosystem.