Apple Mini Apps Partner Program | Hacker News Reader

Apple Mini Apps Partner Program

developer.apple.com

117 pointssoheilpro68 comments

It seems like this might be Apple’s attempt at a version of alternative app stores, locked down by strict T&Cs.

I opened up the comments hoping to see discussion amongst the people here with strong feelings about Apple’s walled garden, but it seems I’m too early to the party.

Maybe I'm cynical, but what I'm wondering is which country's regulation led to Apple being forced to do this

Apple is going to profit tremendously off this. They did it in part because they will make billions from WeChat.

And Roblox

> Maybe I'm cynical, but what I'm wondering is which country's regulation led to Apple being forced to do this

Not Europe, that’s for sure.

Most likely American “regulation” via cutthroat capitalism and attempt to copy WeChat’s success.

Isn’t this what competition is supposed to like?

How's this competition if it's still using apple's payment infrastructure in apps that are shipped via apple's app store?

Yes. You'll own nothing and be happy /s

Yes but it is also a grab at WeChat, forcing them to transact through Apple with a new 15% cut

It’s also a grab at Grab, who just announced their mini apps a couple of weeks ago:

https://www.grab.com/sg/press/others/grab-launches-third-par...

Shouldn’t we presume that Grab was aware of any upcoming changes.

I think they call it commercial in confidence.

Grab would have voluntarily entered in to an agreement with Apple.

Are we ok with companies reaching an agreement to do business together on terms of their mutual agreement still?

Apparently, the apps in wechat aren't transacted via Apple today anyways, maybe some will choose to do so via apple but I can't imagine to be the majority.

I also think wechat have the upper hand in this relationship so Apple is unlikely to be able to do any real forcing function.

Presumably Tencent voluntarily entered in to a contract with Apple.

What’s this forced business?

> seems like this might be Apple’s attempt at a version of alternative app stores, locked down by strict T&Cs

Huh, I read it as them reüsing the code and contracts they built to partner with Tencent.

Could be. I’m not familiar with their Tencent contracts.

“Apple has reached a new agreement with Tencent that will allow the company to process payments and collect a 15% commission on purchases made inside WeChat mini games and mini apps on the iPhone, establishing a major new revenue stream in China after over a year of negotiations, according to Bloomberg.”

https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/13/apple-deal-to-take-bill...

Oh ya, there's no way this isn't an extension of those agreements with Tencent.

No excitement here for any “discount” announcements—just cynicism about our device freedoms being restricted by two duopolies.

A duopoly

GP maybe meant EU + US in addition to the obvious Apple + Google?

Or MS + Apple on desktop.

> A qualifying mini app within the Mini Apps Partner Program is one that’s put out by a person or entity that’s not directly or indirectly controlled by you, nor under common control with you.

I don't understand; if it's put out by someone else, how do I participate?

You are the developer of an app. A "mini app" is content created by a 3rd party that you import into your app.

The linked program ("Mini Apps Partner") is for you, not for the developer of the mini app.

As I understand it: Your app is a virtual arcade, that supports “mini app” arcade games published by other developers, that run inside your virtual cabinet.

I make a game for your arcade, and players pay cash to add credits to my game.

The status quo: Player pays £1, Apple takes their 30% cut, you get 70p, take another 30% cut, and give me 49p

What this programme entails: player pays £1, Apple takes a 15% cut, you get 85p, and hopefully pass on some of that extra money to me too.

The gotchas are:

1. it has to be your app and my mini game. This is about lightening the load of all the intermediaries, not about you cheesing an extra 15%

2. It has to be the player buying credits for my game specifically. If you sell “ArcadeBux” redeemable for credits on any game at your arcade, you’re not an intermediary, you’re the vendor.

I have not had a chance (or, frankly, the desire) to read the full Ts&Cs, but I wouldn't be surprised if you (as an app host), will shoulder some of the accountability for bad mini-apps.

You must submit all the apps for review.

Roblox model.

This article explains this new program for those (like me) who had no idea what a "mini app" was and why it matters: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/13/apple-announces-mini-ap...

tldr: it will let Apple charge a commission (although at 15%, it's half the normal 30% rate for the app store) on popular web app games embedded in to WeChat for the Chinese market

> although at 15%, it's half the normal 30% rate for the app store

15% is the normal rate for the App Store. Only developers earning above $1MM/yr through the App Store have to pay 30%, the vast majority of developers only pay 15%.

I assume WeChat is above the $1m/yr threshold

It's not "normal", you have to "apply" (and get auto-accepted) but won't get the rate if you don't know to do that. You'll also get permanently booted from it if you do some things like transfer ownership of an account (if you want to sell an app you made, IIRC you lose access to this program, even if the app makes under a million).

This is a partnership the same way restaurants "partner" with the mob.

Mini apps are way more than web games. For a lot of people in China, WeChat is effectively their operating system. The platform hosts _millions_ of mini apps covering a significant percentage of the use cases that a mobile developer elsewhere in the world might build a native app for.

As such, it seems like WeChat has historically gotten away with a lot of stuff kinda sorta on the edge of the policies that Apple enforces on everyone else.

Telegram have a big mini-apps platform.

Chatbots are a major area to regulate. I don't see how it would be possible for Telegram (or Discord, or IRC clients...) to comply with this.

I expect this is also setting up for MCP marketplaces.

There was evidence of upcoming macOS and iOS updates adding MCP support at a system level across apps. The rules talk about "scripts", not only games or apps.

https://9to5mac.com/2025/09/22/macos-tahoe-26-1-beta-1-mcp-i...

Forcing iPad support seems like tying. I wonder if this will finally get Instagram to release an iPad app.

They already did : https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/instagram-finally-gave-us-an-...

Commoditizing Roblox and keeping payments inhouse. Smart idea

Another thing this is similar to is Google AMP, which provided predictible user experiences through heavy restrictions. I guess AMP is to Mini Apps what Google Glass is to Oculus.

Try to find some high tensile analogies.

These ones are looking a little strained.

Roblox still exempt, blatant favoritism continues

Roblox pays the full 30%.

Only for in app purchases of Robux. They are uniquely allowed to distribute their own app store (not based on HTML/JS applets) within the App Store, which is against the terms that every other Apple developer agrees to. And they are allowed to use a virtual currency that can be obtained elsewhere without an Apple Tax to pay for digital goods purchases inside an iOS app, bypassing the IAP system, again against the terms.

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