Today Apple announced the introduction of in-app subscriptions, allowing consumers to purchase a weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly or yearly subscription.
The new addition will make it easier for consumers to upgrade and purchase subscriptions from within their favorite supported apps, using their iTunes account to make the transaction, rather than off-site transactions which could possibly be unsecured.
With in-app subscriptions, developers can incorporate a quick transaction method for consumers, where Apple will take a 30 percent share of the transaction, giving the remaining 70 percent to the developer. Starting today, Apple will no longer accept apps that link to external websites that perform subscription transactions, forcing developers to give up 30 percent of their profits to Apple.
However, Apple is still allowing publishers to create out-of-app subscription based models on their websites, where Apple won't receive any of the profits from the transactions, but developers must include their own authentication methods in the app to unlock the subscription-based services. If publishers do create out-of-app subscriptions, Apple requests that they offer the same subscription services in-app for the same price or cheaper.
In the announcement, Apple also announced that they offer more than 350,000 apps to consumers in 90 countries, with more than 60,000 of these apps being native iPad apps.
Comments (12)
ReplySo this is a "request" now? IIRC the whole debacle with Sony the other day was about how out-of-app purchases MUST also have the same capability in-app (and through Apple's 30% cut iTunes store).
It must be by-request, because Kindle and Zinio were both recently updated and neither include in-app purchasing.
So this is a "request" now? IIRC the whole debacle with Sony the other day was about how out-of-app purchases MUST also have the same capability in-app (and through Apple's 30% cut iTunes store).
It must be by-request, because Kindle and Zinio were both recently updated and neither include in-app purchasing.
I don't understand why any company would charge the same or less for a service where they have to pay a 30% tax compared to an untaxed version.
Glad they finally offering options but I guess they didn't really have a choice if they wanted to grow.
It shouldn't have to be the SAME price(I know it says "request" but will it REALLY be a request?). If Apple wants 30%, then the price should probably be 30% higher.
Indeed, we should be using those fantastic Android tablets, with all the dedicated Apps + media content they have.
Hmm. I have a Nexus One and love Android, but god - faulty rocker switch already, no official update to 2.3 means I'm flashing nightlies all over the place (some completely unsupported as developers like MicroMod move phones). I do see the nice stability in Apple... though you pay for it.
Hmm. I have a Nexus One and love Android, but god - faulty rocker switch already, no official update to 2.3 means I'm flashing nightlies all over the place (some completely unsupported as developers like MicroMod move phones). I do see the nice stability in Apple... though you pay for it.
Only good thing is that we don't have to create a new account for each subscription.
I'm thinking this might end up in court or with monopolies commission.
Am I the only one here who hasn't spent a single penny on software for my iPhone?
I would hazard a guess that you are definitley in the minority!