Stuff

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    What's Hot
    Russia social media

    Kremlin tightens control over Russians’ online lives – threatening domestic freedoms and the global internet

    July 3, 2022
    brainwaves

    How your brainwaves could be used in criminal trials

    July 3, 2022
    github's copilot

    So this is how it feels when the robots come for your job: what GitHub’s Copilot ‘AI assistant’ means for coders

    July 2, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube SoundCloud
    Trending
    • Kremlin tightens control over Russians’ online lives – threatening domestic freedoms and the global internet
    • How your brainwaves could be used in criminal trials
    • So this is how it feels when the robots come for your job: what GitHub’s Copilot ‘AI assistant’ means for coders
    • Higgs boson: ten years after its discovery, why this particle could unlock new physics beyond the standard model
    • At least one of Xiaomi’s flagship 12-series devices coming to South Africa on 8 July
    • Vodacom spends R460 million on expanding coverage in Limpopo
    • Stuff’s Top Five Tablets (at the moment)
    • Google’s South African domain went down briefly. But it’s back up, crisis averted
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Stuff Stuff
    • News
      • App News
      • Business News
      • Camera News
      • Gaming News
      • Headphone News
      • Industry News
      • Internet News
      • Laptops News
      • Motoring News
      • Other Tech News
      • Phone News
      • Tablet News
      • Technology News
      • TV News
      • Wearables News
    • Reviews
      • Camera Reviews
      • Car Reviews
      • Featured Reviews
      • Game Reviews
      • Headphone Reviews
      • Laptop Reviews
      • Other Tech Reviews
      • Phone Reviews
      • Tablet Reviews
      • Wearables Reviews
    • Columns
    • Stuff Guides
    • Podcasts & Videos
      • Videos
      • Stuffed
      • Stuffing Around
      • Tech Byte
      • T2S2
    • Win
    • Subscribe
      • Print
      • Digital
        • Google Play
        • iTunes
        • Download
        • Zinio
    • Stuff Shop
      • Shop Now
      • My Account
      • Downloads
    • Contact Us
      • Get In Touch
      • Advertise
    0 Shopping Cart
    Stuff
    Home » News » Industry News » Apple will now let “reader” apps like Netflix and Spotify dodge its App Store commision fee
    Industry News

    Apple will now let “reader” apps like Netflix and Spotify dodge its App Store commision fee

    Max MilellaBy Max MilellaSeptember 2, 2021Updated:November 3, 2021No Comments2 Mins Read
    Apple App Store Main
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Apple’s been at loggerheads with developers over its App Store practices for a while now. Most notably, the 30% (or 15% if you’re one of the luckier devs) cut it takes in commission on all in-app purchases, as well as its forcing of developers to manage in-app purchases through the App Store’s billing platform, rather than a third-party one. Naturally, the two go hand in hand. 

    Well, Apple is backing down ever so slightly, and will now let developers of “reader” apps with their own subscription services dodge the App Store tax by linking to their own sign-up sites.

    Apple concedes (sort of)

    According to a press release, the change in App Store policy closes an investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), which has been scrutinising the Californian tech giant over suspicion of anti-competitive behaviour since 2016. This change will allow apps like Netflix, Amazon Kindle and Spotify to link to their own sign-up pages rather than deal with subscriptions through the App Store. Apple’s reasoning for allowing these particular apps a pass is that they don’t offer in-app purchases. Rather, they provide, “previously purchased content or content subscriptions for digital magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video.”

    In short, though it wouldn’t say it in so many words, Apple’s letting them off the hook because they don’t rake in in-app purchases for it to carve a sweet 15% to 30% commission out of. So they’re no big loss monetarily in that regard, which makes you wonder how much of a change concession this really is.

    This change will go into effect in early 2022, and before then Apple will update its guidelines and review process accordingly for users and developers. 

    App App Store Apple Apple tax featured Netflix reader apps Spotify
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
    Max Milella

      Related Posts

      Russia social media

      Kremlin tightens control over Russians’ online lives – threatening domestic freedoms and the global internet

      July 3, 2022
      brainwaves

      How your brainwaves could be used in criminal trials

      July 3, 2022
      github's copilot

      So this is how it feels when the robots come for your job: what GitHub’s Copilot ‘AI assistant’ means for coders

      July 2, 2022

      Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

      In The Mag
      Stuff June-July 2022 Latest Issue

      In This Issue – The Outdoors (June-July 2022) Issue

      By Brett VenterMay 30, 20221

      Once again, we are asking you to check out a new issue of Stuff Magazine.…

      2021 Wish List
      wish list Stuff Wish List 2021

      Stuff Wish List: for the tech impaired

      By Duncan PikeDecember 22, 20210

      Are you from the time before being glued to a smartphone was considered normal? Here’s…

      Wishlist DIY Stuff tech

      Stuff Wish List: for the DIY Diehard

      December 21, 2021
      Wish List Gearhead

      Stuff Wish List: For the petrol-soaked gearhead

      December 20, 2021
      outsiders

      Stuff Wish List: for the Outsiders

      December 17, 2021

      Latest Video

      Sonos

      SONOS Roam SL unboxing by Toby Shapshak

      March 30, 2022
      Mini Cooper

      The Mini Cooper SE Electric with Toby Shapshak

      March 18, 2022
      MSI Crosshair 15 Rainbox Six Extraction Edition unboxing

      MSI Crosshair 15 Rainbox Six Extraction Edition unboxing

      March 16, 2022
      Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Unboxing

      Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra unboxing with Toby Shapshak

      March 16, 2022
      Contact

      South Africa's Consumer Tech News Hub

      General: [email protected]
      Subscriptions: [email protected] or 087 353 1291
      Editorial: 072 735 2614
      Sales: 083 375 2418

      Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube SoundCloud

      Subscribe to Updates

      • Terms and Conditions
      • Privacy & POPI
      • My account
      © 2022 Stuff Group. Designed by Chronon.

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.