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Apple will unlikely end its support of texting app WeChat on iPhone 16, and the two sides are expected to deepen cooperation instead, sources said on Aug 30. The comments were made in response to news that the upcoming iPhone 16 may not support WeChat. Several sources close to the matter confirmed to China Daily that it is a rumour. Mr Wang Peng, an associate researcher at Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said it is unlikely that the two sides will not back up each other no matter from a technical or market perspective. “WeChat, as a social platform widely used by Chinese users, is essential. If the iPhone 16 doesn’t support WeChat, it will have a huge impact on Apple’s sales in the Chinese market, which is obviously not in Apple’s commercial interests,” he added. As for the future direction of Apple and WeChat in China, Mr Wang expects the two sides will reach a consensus through negotiations and continue to provide users with high-quality products and services. “In the future, with the continuous development of smartphones and application services, the improvement of the ecosystem and the seamless integration of services will become an inevitable trend, and the cooperation between Apple and WeChat will continue to deepen in this context,” he added. CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK