WeChat online tipping feature back on iPhones

A feature on China's popular social network platform WeChat that allows users to send digital tips to providers of online content and other services is back in service on iPhones, after Apple changed its policy regarding taking a cut in those transactions, according to media reports.

In the latest version of the WeChat app, which is operated by Internet giant Tencent Group, the function, though slightly changed, was included for iPhone users, news site thepaper.cn reported on Friday.

The function now allows users to use a "tipping code" for sending and accepting online tips, rather than sending tips directly like it used to, according to the report.

The move followed months of disputes between Apple and WeChat that led the latter to disable the widely used tipping function for iPhone users in April.

On June 11, Apple updated its App Store rules that categorized online tipping as an in-app purchase subject to a 30 percent cut on each transaction by Apple, and it banned apps from using other ways to avoid the payment.

The report by thepaper.cn said that Tencent founder and chairman Pony Ma Huateng and Apple CEO Tim Cook had talks about the online tipping issue before reaching an agreement.

Media reported Apple in September made changes to its rules and allowed users to send tips without the need to go through the in-app purchase function, but it demanded that app developers not take cuts from these tips.