Apple allows users to tip content creators

The audience assembles before the start of Apple's annual developer conference in San Jose, California, June 5, 2017.[Photo/VCG]

Apple's newly published update to its App Store policies officially designates tipping to content creators as in-app purchases, with Apple keeping 30 percent of the revenue as commission. If an app creator refuses to agree to the new terms, the tech giant would remove the app, The Beijing News reports.

The new policy came two months after Tencent Holdings Ltd shut down a popular service on WeChat which allowed iPhone users to tip content creators.

After Apple issued the notice, most live-streaming platforms accepted the terms, but, some of them passed the fee on to their clients.

Chinese online content aggregation app Toutiao and popular question-and-answer website Zhihu said they had reached a compromise with Apple.

According to a statement issued by Zhihu, after the update of the iOS3.5.3 version app, the tipping feature will be connected to Apple's in-app purchase mechanism, and Apple will take 32 percent as commission.

Previously, there was no formal rule from Apple about how tipping was classified. Now, Apple has instituted a legitimate way to tip.

In its App Store Review Guidelines, Apple said: "Apps may use in-app purchase currencies to enable customers to 'tip' digital content providers in the app. Apps may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase."

For Apple, the tipping is not encouragement for content creators, rather the same as the purchase of game, music and video, which should be classified as in-app purchase, and Apple can take 30 percent as commission.

According to US tech media TechCrunch, Apple's move could take tipping out of the grey area, and more app developers might institute digital tip jars as an alternative way to get creators paid without having to offer ad revenue sharing.