Pull the plug on internet monopolies

IN AUGUST 2012, THE DOMESTIC SOCIAL MEDIA APP WECHAT opened a new function called "public accounts" that allows registered users to publish their articles. Those who read an article on a public account can choose to make a payment to the writer as token of their appreciation for the writer's efforts. However, since Wednesday, users can no longer pay the bonus on iPhones or iPads because Apple insists that such payments must be done via Apple's in-app purchase feature. An editorial on thepaper.cn comments:

Apple is suspected of abusing its leading position in the market, which is against the Anti-Monopoly Law. According to phonearena.com, a smartphone big data company, Apple's iOS operating system had 38.58 percent of the global market share by the end of 2015; there is no exact data about that in China, but doubtlessly Apple has the leading share.

The Anti-Monopoly Law forbids companies with leading positions in the market from requiring a trading party to trade exclusively with itself. By asking users to pay the bonus via IAP, which is an Apple product, the company is suspected of having broken the law.