Apple overhauls App Store pricing structure; 900 price-points now available
What's the story
Cupertino tech giant Apple has made extensive changes to the pricing structure in its App Store across the world, including India. This will aid app developers in setting prices for their goods in different countries and also manage the foreign exchange rate changes. The pricing changes are now applicable to apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions. The rest will get it sometime in mid-2023.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Apple has faced quite a lot of scrutiny in recent years over its restrictive policies pertaining to its App Store. Now, the tech giant wants to give its image a makeover by overhauling its store and appearing friendly to app developers. Whatever may be the larger plan, developers across the world will surely get to benefit from it.
Slabs
The App Store has gained 700 new price points
Earlier, the Apple App Store offered developers access to 94 pricing points for non-subscription-based apps and in-app purchases in India. Meanwhile, subscription-based ones got access to 200 price points. Now, there are 600 new price points, with an extra 100 higher price points offered "upon request." This brings the total available price points in the store to 900.
List
How does the pricing structure work?
In India, developers can set app prices between Rs. 9 and Rs. 9,99,900. Price points increase incrementally across price ranges. The apps in Rs. 9-499 range can increase in Rs. 5 increments, Rs. 9 in Rs. 10-1,499, Rs. 49 in Rs. 50-4,999, Rs. 99 in Rs. 100-15,000, Rs. 499 in Rs. 500-49,900, Rs. 999 in Rs. 1,000-99,900, and Rs. 9,900 in Rs. 10,000-9,99,900 range.
Format
Apps will now have rounded pricing
Apple says that developers can now use rounded pricing for setting app prices. The new prices will end in a format that ends like Rs. 10 and Rs. 8,800 instead of the current one that ends with Rs. 'x' 8 (like Rs. 88). This will aid them in managing bundles and annual plans, the firm claims.
Streamlining
Managing payments across storefronts is now simpler
Managing currencies/taxes across storefronts has also become easier for developers. Out of the 175 available storefronts, they can select one as the basis for automatic price changes across the store's other 174 storefronts and 44 currencies. This too is only offered to developers of subscription-based apps now. The rest will get it sometime by the middle of next year.