Apple extends fee waiver for digital classes in the App Store

Apple said on Monday that companies offering digital classes or virtual events through iPhone apps will no longer have to use Apple’s App Store app purchases by June 2021, allowing Apple to charge their customers directly without a 30% commission.

Apple said the extension was intended to help businesses with more time to translate personal events into digital events during the Covid-19 epidemic.

“In accordance with App Store Review Guidelines 3.1.1, we have temporarily postponed this requirement to provide any paid online group event experiences (one to some and one to many real – time experiences) through in-app purchases,” Apple wrote in a statement. On its developer blog. “This deadline has been extended to June 30, 2021 to allow more time to develop application purchasing solutions.”

An Apple spokesman did not comment further on Monday.

The move is the latest Olive branch for app store critics from Apple, which claims the iPhone is a reaction to the giant operating system’s control and fees. Apple too Announced Earlier this month Apple planned to reduce the commission for less than 1 million application developers on its operating systems to 15% by 2021.

Apple initially ruled out in-app purchase requirements for group classes and events In September, After Facebook introduced the paid events feature and tried to add a copy to its apps, warns that the transaction for paid events will go to Apple. But at the time, Apple had only suspended its tariffs until December. Monday’s announcement extended it for another 6 months.

Apple iPhone apps are required to use Apple’s App Store payment process, which takes up to 30% of total payments The desperate focus of policymakers around the world. However, you do not need to use App Store charges for live items such as ordering a ride through Uber or purchasing something from an online retailer.

In September, Apple clarified that one-to-one classes can be charged directly through the iPhone app, but any virtual classroom where the instructor or team works with multiple individuals must use the App Store fees.

The New York Times published the news in July As personal experiences were negatively affected by the epidemic, some app makers, such as Airbnb and Glass Pass, were shifting business models to include more digital classes, and Apple was asking them to use in-app purchases, which sold them 30% of the rights.

Apple CEO Tim Cook asked Rep. Jerry Natler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, about the company’s policies surrounding virtual classes and events during a congressional hearing in July.

“The epidemic is a tragedy that affects Americans and many around the world, and we will never use it,” Cook said. “I believe the cases you are talking about are cases that have been transferred to a digital service, which technically has to go through our commission model.”