Developers can gate apps behind subscriptions, within limits, Apple says
Incoming App Store policies will not only allow any app to offer a subscription, but in many cases enable developers to gate all of their content behind one, according to Apple.
Users can be immediately greeted with a login screen, MacWorld confirmed with Apple. While that tactic has been allowed for publications and streaming media services in the past -- Netflix being an example -- the same approach will soon be applicable elsewhere, within limits.
Apps in other categories will have to "make sense" in terms of their business model, Apple explained. The company's developer website points out that subscriptions must "provide ongoing value worth the recurring payment" for auto-renewing subscriptions to be deemed justified.
It's unknown how Apple might judge what constitutes "ongoing value," but the rule is presumably in place to safeguard against scams, as well as broader abuse of the system that could discourage people from downloading apps.
The new subscription policies take effect June 13. To encourage adoption, Apple will also be halving its revenue cut from subscriptions to 15 percent for customers that stay signed up for at least a year -- excluding a 60-day window during which a person can cancel and resubscribe and the app developer will still get their improved share.
Users can be immediately greeted with a login screen, MacWorld confirmed with Apple. While that tactic has been allowed for publications and streaming media services in the past -- Netflix being an example -- the same approach will soon be applicable elsewhere, within limits.
Apps in other categories will have to "make sense" in terms of their business model, Apple explained. The company's developer website points out that subscriptions must "provide ongoing value worth the recurring payment" for auto-renewing subscriptions to be deemed justified.
It's unknown how Apple might judge what constitutes "ongoing value," but the rule is presumably in place to safeguard against scams, as well as broader abuse of the system that could discourage people from downloading apps.
The new subscription policies take effect June 13. To encourage adoption, Apple will also be halving its revenue cut from subscriptions to 15 percent for customers that stay signed up for at least a year -- excluding a 60-day window during which a person can cancel and resubscribe and the app developer will still get their improved share.
Comments
Keeping track of individual user subscription subscribe/cancel/resubscribe dates seems like a lot of non-productive busy work. I suspect that this will devolve to subscriptions are 85/15 period!
Their common sense curation is what has made the App Store a success and every other app distribution platform an unmitigated disaster.
No thanks.
As for "taxes"? Oh come on. Until and unless a software company (or magazine or newspaper) can force you to continue paying in to a subscription, like local/county/state/federal governments can (and do), it's not a "tax".
A subscription is "something to sell", a service, generally. Try not to hyperventilate excessively; there's no guy behind the curtain with a gun trained on your head.
For small inexpensive unknown apps /games, probably not a good idea.
What is the advantage(s) to the user? I mean, will apps/subscriptions be cheaper? And will they only be cheaper if someone stays subscribed for more than 12 months?
Or is this just about the developper getting more money/control?
You'll still be paying for a subscription monthly anyway?
I prefer to pay this through iTunes when it's the same price as it's so much more hassle-free to start and stop as you wish without having to email and call and beg Customer Services. Plus, I don't think I stay subscribed to any magazine or service for more than a couple of months each time. Netflix tends to be 1 month on, 1 month off for me for example.
http://www.ea.com/mobile#10
Obviously you could just play them all in a week and unsubscribe but that's unlikely as there's a lot of games and it gives you unrestricted freedom to discover which games you like. They can remove some in-app payment blocks with the subscription, which makes each game experience more enjoyable. This also helps avoid things like this happening:
http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/09/13/ea-removes-dead-space-flight-control-and-more-from-app-store
People will always be paying so they can keep older games working, which makes the game library larger. If EA can convince just 10 million people to pay $1.99/month, that's $239 million per year of recurring revenue just from iOS. Last year, EA made $548 million from all mobile platforms but they have to market all their games and figure out how to monetize each one.
It would be good if Apple had a subscription themselves and the amount would be divided between the apps based on usage but I guess 3rd parties can come up with their own conglomerates like the Macupdate app bundles.
This can be how Apple gets away from iAd by having people in a global App Store subscription. Companies could remove ads completely because if a customer was using their app all the time, the developer would get a higher portion of their subscription revenue. If someone was addicted to a game like Flappy Bird, they'd maybe get 2000 ad impressions in a month normally, which can be $2 from that person. Instead, that person would have an ad-free experience and almost the entirety of their subscription fee (Apple's global subscription wouldn't have to be $1.99) would go to that developer for that month. There could be a base amount for each app used so 25% of the subscription divided between all apps equally if they are launched in that month and the remaining 75% divided by frequency of use.
Apple's subscription can even work across music and video. The content providers would just opt-in to the system and their content becomes accessible to subscribers. The ones who feel like they aren't making enough revenue can opt-out and roll their own subscription plan or use another payment method.
Subscriptions are just another option for publishers and developers, if it doesn't work for them or their customers, they won't use it.