The market is becoming increasingly tough for Apple, which continues to face scrutiny regarding its App Store policies. This has pushed the Cupertino-based tech giant to make concessions and liberalize some of its stringent policies, like allowing developers to accept payments outside of the App Store. Now, Apple will allow developers of media apps to create in-app links to external sign-up pages by which they can circumvent Apple’s high in-app purchase commissions.
This move will encourage companies like Netflix and Spotify to provide links to direct users to sign-up options apart from the App Store, and addressing the companies’ concerns that the iPhone maker’s App Store policies stifled competition and were unfair. The changes will be effective in the global arena from early 2022 for the “reader apps,” which include magazines, audio and video, newspapers, books, and music.
With this move, the tech giant is finally settling an investigation by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission. The reader apps were to date forced to use Apple’s in-app purchase system, which gives Apple up to a 30% commission on downloads and in-app subscriptions.
“We have great respect for the Japan Fair Trade Commission and appreciate the work we’ve done together, which will help developers of reader apps make it easier for users to set up and manage their apps and services while protecting their privacy and maintaining their trust,” Phil Schiller, who oversees Apple’s App Store, said in a statement. However, before the changes roll out, Apple will be updating its guidelines and review process to make sure users of reader apps continue to have a safe experience on the App Store. “While in-app purchases through the App Store commerce system remain the safest and most trusted payment methods for users, Apple will also help developers of reader apps protect users when they link them to an external website to make purchases,” the statement said.
However the category of games does not fall under this, but Apple and the JFTC have reached an agreement that will let developers of gaming apps share a single link to their website to help users set up and manage their accounts.
