Apple lowers commissions, but only a select few will benefit
Apple lowers the commission in App Store in China. This is a move that can hardly be considered accidental, because the decision comes into force already on March 15 and appears right after talks with the local regulator. The company confirmed that the standard fee charged on purchases will drop to 25%and the preferential rate for small companies will be reduced to 12%.
First Europe, now China. Apple knows when to give in
The changes will apply to both the iOS and iPadOS stores. From the perspective of developers operating on the Chinese market, this is a clear relief, but the context of the whole matter is more important. The Americans did not decide to take this step on their own initiative. In the official announcement, the company directly referred to talks with Chinese legislators, which suggests that the reduction is intended to help avoid more severe intervention by the authorities.
At the beginning of February, it was considered to initiate formal proceedings regarding the principles of operation of the App Store and the amount of fees charged. In such a situation Apple apparently decided that it was better to resign earlier than to enter into an open conflict with one of the most important markets. Estimates suggest that the country generates approximately 17% of Apple’s revenues.
This is not the first time that an iPhone maker has preferred to relent. The company had already made similar moves in Europe, where it was also forced to modify the App Store policy. So it is clearly visible that Apple increasingly has to make concessions where not only image is at stake, but also maintaining a stable position on key markets.
