(ECNS) – Apple Inc's plan to charge a handling fee of 30 percent on money transfers generated through a tipping function on Chinese social networking apps has sparked heated debate online, Economic Information Daily reported.
Some netizens say the move, which comes after the company shut down the popular WeChat Tipping, would be an abuse of its dominant system platform role and could lead to unfair competition. Authorities should launch an anti-monopoly investigation into the company, they added.
So far, there is no substitute to the app WeChat, according to a netizen nicknamed "roro ai chirou".
"If I have to make a choice between the two, it'll definitely be WeChat."
"Weishenme shi babaozhou" said it would be a lose-lose battle if Apple closed access to social apps, because it could force many of its users to abandon it on one hand, and force social apps to put all their eggs in the Android basket on the other.
"Chenxuan Leo" said Apple could burn user loyalty if it insisted on such a move. As Apple saw sliding market share while Chinese-made handsets were experiencing rapid progress in both quality and market share, the move could drive high-quality users away from Apple to Android.
WeChat and Alipay have spent heavily to cultivate the mobile payment market in previous years, and now Apple wants to take a share of the cake without having contributed anything, and even hopes to beat it rivals, said "Adiba-V".
"Doesn't that mean it's abusing its dominate market position?" asked the netizen, while suggesting that Apple improve payment services and experience to provide users with real convenience and benefits.
