by In a stunning app fee structure update, Apple announced that starting today (December 6) developers will be able to choose from 900 prices for their apps, ranging from $0.10 to $10,000 without Apple’s approval, in 45 currencies across 175 showcases.
That’s almost 10x more than previously available for most apps since the App Store launched in 2008. There are also improvements to price setting for App Stores around the world, so a developer can set a single price for a country, for example, but their app’s prices change automatically based on the world’s currency exchange rate.
That means you’ll see an app for a fixed price more often and in different increments, and not dictated by the ever-changing exchange rate that hit Apple TV in October.
As far as subscription levels are concerned, the same improvements will apply from today, but independent pricing for different countries will come in early 2023, and in-app purchases for apps will also be available from early next year.
This is a big win for developers who have been requesting these features for a long time to better set their prices for different regions. However, it’s also a win for users on the iPhone, Mac, and Apple’s other devices when it comes to major updates and subscriptions in the years to come.
A better showcase for everyone
These improvements not only benefit developers, but also iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch users. We’ve seen some apps and subscriptions increase their prices in the past. inflation like Apple Musichowever, these new features may set lower prices than previously allowed, while locking prices independently.
These advanced price points, such as smaller price increases of $0.10 / $0.10 / AUD $0.10, can now be set by developers so in-app purchases or subscriptions can take advantage of it, especially when it comes to holiday deals. throughout the year.
Apple has confirmed to TechRadar that these price improvements for in-app purchases will be rolling out in Spring 2023 as they want to gradually implement these changes as it’s a huge change for the store and its developers. However, with in-app purchases being a large part of games not on Apple Arcade, developers may feel like they’ve been left out until Spring of next year to take advantage of these improvements.
Regardless, it’s a positive change for developers and users alike, as it gives developers more control over how their apps are priced, and these prices are no longer determined by the ever-changing exchange rate around the world.
Since Apple’s VR headset is claimed to launch in 2023, this could be a good opportunity for the company to get the App Store ready when apps are released for this upcoming product that can take advantage of these pricing improvements.
