Apple enables lower App Store price tiers in Canada, New Zealand

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2016
Apple on Wednesday announced two new App Store price tiers for iOS developers selling wares in Canada and New Zealand, enabling lower digital content costs for consumers and flexibility for app makers.




The new "Alternate Tier A" and "Alternate Tier B" allow developers to price paid and in-app purchases at 99 cents in both Canadian and New Zealand dollars. Apple notes current apps already using the price tiers have been automatically updated.

Today's App Store change is a side effect of quickly shifting macroeconomic winds. In October, Apple introduced the Australian market to alternate price tiers, and the program is already active in select countries around the world. China, for example, was among the first to support lower prices, followed by India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Turkey.

Developers based in Canada and New Zealand can get more information on App Store pricing in the Pricing and Availability section of My Apps on iTunes Connect.

Volatile international stock markets, a strong U.S. dollar and other financial factors prompted Apple to take steps toward protecting itself and consumers. For example, the company raised iPhone and iPad prices in Germany to offset a new copyright levy in that country.
lolliver

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    steviestevie Posts: 956member
    Lowering prices and undercutting the competition is a sure road to increased profits.  Go Apple!
    edited January 2016
  • Reply 2 of 10
    After Apple raised it's prices on apps sold in Canada I have been very selective on what I might purchase from or on MAS or on iTunes. Some apps are not worth the exchange that Apple was demanding.
    Mr_Grey
  • Reply 3 of 10
    Mr_GreyMr_Grey Posts: 118member
    Maybe you're not explaining it correctly, but this just sounds like marketing BS to me.  All the prices in Canadian and Australian App stores as well as all Apple stores are going UP, not down, whereas this reads like the exact opposite of that, which is likely what was intended.  

    It seems very deceptive and deceitful to me.  It's essentially telling developers to "take the hit" for Apple's higher prices.  
    "You're App used to be $.99, but we raised the price, so you can now re-price it at $.99 which would be $.60 cents in reality."  

    Customers are happy because the price rises are hidden from them, Apple is happy because they don't make a single cent less.  
    Developers can choose between looking like assholes with high prices, or cutting the price of their product by 40%.  
    Absolute bullshit.  Apple should be ashamed.  
  • Reply 4 of 10
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member

    The whole software model has been decimated by the advent of the App Store. If software wasn't valued before, it certainly isn't valued now. People whinge about paying 99 cents for an app. 99 cents. Unreal.

    It may not have been Apple's intention but it's played out exactly the same way as the iTunes store did.

    It is my thesis the Apple has in general destroyed the value proposition for both music and software. I'd be curious to see whether DED could offer a compelling counterpoint. No doubt Apple have paid billions out of the app store and itms but the vast majority of that revenue has gone to a handful of major players such as to make that gloat essentially worthless.

    /rant

  • Reply 5 of 10
    Mr_Grey said:
    Maybe you're not explaining it correctly, but this just sounds like marketing BS to me.  All the prices in Canadian and Australian App stores as well as all Apple stores are going UP, not down, whereas this reads like the exact opposite of that, which is likely what was intended.  

    It seems very deceptive and deceitful to me.  It's essentially telling developers to "take the hit" for Apple's higher prices.  
    "You're App used to be $.99, but we raised the price, so you can now re-price it at $.99 which would be $.60 cents in reality."  

    Customers are happy because the price rises are hidden from them, Apple is happy because they don't make a single cent less.  
    Developers can choose between looking like assholes with high prices, or cutting the price of their product by 40%.  
    Absolute bullshit.  Apple should be ashamed.  

    What on earth are you talking about? What do you mean "Apple doesn't make a single cent less" and that it's "Apple's higher prices". Do you have any idea whatsoever how currency and exchange rates work?

    Apple increases the price of Apps in countries where the value of their currency has decreased substantially so that the App developers are able to continue making a comparable amount on the sale of each app as they were prior to the value of the currency decreasing.

    Because this results in customers in those countries having to pay more for the app than they were previously there is the potential for this to result in reduced sales. Therefore Apple allows developers to set the price of their apps lower in those countries to ensure sales continue. It's entirely up to the developer if they choose to do this or not. If they do set their app at the lower price tier then yes they make less money on it from each individual sale but so does Apple. What makes you think Apple would still be able to get the same amount of money from each sale when they are just keeping 30% of that sale? Do you understand how % works or is that as baffling to you as currency and foreign markets?

    There are some great educational apps on the App store for teaching mathematics. Maybe you should consider investing in a few? Especially if the developer has chosen to make use of the alternate price tier. ;-)

     

    osmartormenajrfastasleepRayz2016bestkeptsecretchiabonobobjbdragon
  • Reply 6 of 10
    latifbplatifbp Posts: 544member

    Volatile international stock markets, a strong U.S. dollar and other financial factors prompted Apple to take steps toward protecting itself and consumers. For example, the company raised iPhone and iPad prices in Germany to offset a new copyright levy in that country.
    Increased taxes on Apple = Increased Prices for you
    Rayz2016jbdragon
  • Reply 7 of 10
    Mr_Grey said:
    Maybe you're not explaining it correctly, but this just sounds like marketing BS to me.  All the prices in Canadian and Australian App stores as well as all Apple stores are going UP, not down, whereas this reads like the exact opposite of that, which is likely what was intended.  

    It seems very deceptive and deceitful to me.  It's essentially telling developers to "take the hit" for Apple's higher prices.  
    "You're App used to be $.99, but we raised the price, so you can now re-price it at $.99 which would be $.60 cents in reality."  

    Customers are happy because the price rises are hidden from them, Apple is happy because they don't make a single cent less.  
    Developers can choose between looking like assholes with high prices, or cutting the price of their product by 40%.  
    Absolute bullshit.  Apple should be ashamed.  
    The OP explained it well enough. But your misunderstanding was quite baffling!

    Also, your last sentence does a good job of denouncing you as a probable troll... too bad your job was not half as much good in your arithmetic and logical thinking.
    Rayz2016lolliverjbdragon
  • Reply 8 of 10
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,093member
    djsherly said:

    The whole software model has been decimated by the advent of the App Store. If software wasn't valued before, it certainly isn't valued now. People whinge about paying 99 cents for an app. 99 cents. Unreal.

    It may not have been Apple's intention but it's played out exactly the same way as the iTunes store did.

    It is my thesis the Apple has in general destroyed the value proposition for both music and software. I'd be curious to see whether DED could offer a compelling counterpoint. No doubt Apple have paid billions out of the app store and itms but the vast majority of that revenue has gone to a handful of major players such as to make that gloat essentially worthless.

    /rant

    Well, it's all a matter of perspective.  In the "old days" of software, it had to be more expensive because it was far more difficult (and expensive) to get software into the hands of consumers.

    Nowadays, thanks to iPhones (and iOS in general), an app done right can have access to hundreds of millions of iPhones.  So once still has the potential to make a killing in software.
    lolliverjbdragon
  • Reply 9 of 10
    xbitxbit Posts: 390member
    sflocal said:

    Nowadays, thanks to iPhones (and iOS in general), an app done right can have access to hundreds of millions of iPhones.  So once still has the potential to make a killing in software.
    The potential for anyone but the biggest businesses to make a killing is dwindling. The days of plucky bedroom developers making their fortune is over.

    Two-thirds of app developers make a loss and the situation is getting worse (and God help anyone developing for Android). The less money that developers make through traditional means, the more they're going to resort to devious tactics. Shitty freemium games that value addiction over fun are just the start.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    technotechno Posts: 737member
    lolliver said:
    Mr_Grey said:
    Maybe you're not explaining it correctly, but this just sounds like marketing BS to me.  All the prices in Canadian and Australian App stores as well as all Apple stores are going UP, not down, whereas this reads like the exact opposite of that, which is likely what was intended.  

    It seems very deceptive and deceitful to me.  It's essentially telling developers to "take the hit" for Apple's higher prices.  
    "You're App used to be $.99, but we raised the price, so you can now re-price it at $.99 which would be $.60 cents in reality."  

    Customers are happy because the price rises are hidden from them, Apple is happy because they don't make a single cent less.  
    Developers can choose between looking like assholes with high prices, or cutting the price of their product by 40%.  
    Absolute bullshit.  Apple should be ashamed.  

    What on earth are you talking about? What do you mean "Apple doesn't make a single cent less" and that it's "Apple's higher prices". Do you have any idea whatsoever how currency and exchange rates work?

    Apple increases the price of Apps in countries where the value of their currency has decreased substantially so that the App developers are able to continue making a comparable amount on the sale of each app as they were prior to the value of the currency decreasing.

    Because this results in customers in those countries having to pay more for the app than they were previously there is the potential for this to result in reduced sales. Therefore Apple allows developers to set the price of their apps lower in those countries to ensure sales continue. It's entirely up to the developer if they choose to do this or not. If they do set their app at the lower price tier then yes they make less money on it from each individual sale but so does Apple. What makes you think Apple would still be able to get the same amount of money from each sale when they are just keeping 30% of that sale? Do you understand how % works or is that as baffling to you as currency and foreign markets?

    There are some great educational apps on the App store for teaching mathematics. Maybe you should consider investing in a few? Especially if the developer has chosen to make use of the alternate price tier. ;-)

     

    Dude, you may be exactly right in all of your assertions, but relax. Give the guy a break. No need to break out the flame thrower.
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