Apple has been pressuring ByteDance and Tencent in China to close loopholes that lead customers to external payment systems for in-app purchases, according to a report by Bloomberg. The pressure, which began in May, involved Apple warning Tencent to eliminate the capability for users to make payments outside of Apple’s ecosystem, threatening to reject crucial WeChat updates. Tencent complied with the initial request, but Apple pushed further by asking them to disable in-game chat between creators and players. ByteDance also faced similar pressure to plug gaps steering users away from Apple’s 30 percent commission. These aggressive moves by Apple in China’s smartphone market, despite Apple’s declining profits, reflect its strict guidelines on app submissions. Both Tencent and ByteDance have yet to issue formal responses. The European Commission’s ruling against Apple’s commission fees and legal obstacles faced in the US demonstrate a wider backlash against Apple’s practices.
