Apple wants a 15% cut of purchases made through external links in iOS apps

On Thursday, Apple filed a proposal with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California outlining the commissions it expects to collect on purchases that iOS users make through external links inside apps. Before this, the corporation had unsuccessfully tried to delay the matter from being taken up.

Under the proposed scheme, standard apps will be subject to a 15% commission. Developers participating in Apple's special programs get discounts: small businesses will pay 5%, and members of the Video Partner Program, News Partner Program and Mini Apps Partner Program will pay 10%. The commission on subscription renewals is also lowered to 10%.

A years-long dispute with Epic Games

Apple has been locked in litigation with Epic Games for years now over App Store policies that the plaintiff considers anticompetitive. This time, the company sought to delay its response to the court's request, arguing that the Supreme Court had not yet ruled on a related question — whether Apple was in contempt of court for introducing a 27% commission on purchases made through external links, along with restrictions on how developers could show those links to users.

However, that same Thursday the Supreme Court denied Apple's motion to stay the case in the lower court, forcing the company to disclose its planned commission structure.

The company's position

Apple maintains that it is entitled to charge for in-app purchases because doing so allows it to recoup its investment in the tools, technologies and services that power and support the App Store. To justify its rates, the company pointed to Google Play: there, standard apps pay 20% when they route users out through an external link, members of special programs pay 15%, and a 10% cut is taken on subscription renewals. And, Apple notes, Epic Games agreed to those terms with Google.

Source: TechCrunch