Beijing implemented a new regulation on mobile taxi booking apps on Monday and reiterated that all taxi booking apps are governed by the Beijing official unified booking platform for the integration of the city's taxi industry.

The regulation stipulated that the application software for the e-hailing app companies should be filed with relevant departments within Beijing's taxi industry, and receive the proper license and have access to the official uniform system.

According to the regulation, all mobile apps should be connected to the unified booking platform. At present, there are four official booking hotlines in Beijing including 96016, 96103, 96019 and 96033, which are run by separate companies. Mobile app companies must cooperate with the four official booking platforms and share their user and market resources, data and technical resources with the four companies.

"The fate of one e-hailing app depends on the key point that whether they can cooperate with the official booking platform or not,"one insider said.

"After mobile taxi app companies cooperate with the official booking platform, the users' resource will be shared in a unified platform, no matter how clients book a taxi,"he added.

A large number of e-hailing apps has rushed into the taxi market since early last year. So far, twelve taxi booking apps have been used by passengers and enjoy a considerable market presence. Until now, eight of the companies have cooperated with the official uniform system in providing booking services.

At the same time, the regulation has fixed the standard of giving tips to prevent customers from paying extra fares unwillingly. It stipulates that an immediate booking, a call less than four hours in advance, costs 5 yuan ($0.81) and making an advance reservation over four hours costs 6 yuan.

Another change involves the function installed within the taxi booking apps is removed. Before, passengers could pay any extra fare they are willing to by using this function. Extra charges paid by booking passengers, which generally range from 10 yuan and 20 yuan even run as high as 50 yuan, according to a Shanghai Daily report.

On top of that, a new evaluation system directed at both taxi drivers and passengers will be promoted to prevent either party from not honoring their appointment.