Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Apple makes another concession to developers, lets some link outside its app

Michael Allison
By

Apple will now allow developers of select apps to direct customers outside the app for purchases. This marked a change when the company would require such apps to either use the in-app purchase system to let users sign up for subscriptions and pay Apple a 30% commission or leave it to users to find out how to access content on their own.

The change comes as a result of an investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission, though it will apply around the world. From the start of next year, “reader apps” will be able to link to an external site that will enable users to set up or manage their accounts. This was prohibited previously.

Related Videos

Apple is only allowing reader apps at this point, defining them as those which “provide previously purchased content or content subscriptions for digital magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video.” You’ll find that apps like Amazon Kindle, ComiXology, or Netflix can benefit from this policy, while games that sell in-game content won’t benefit. As a result of this newfound policy, the JFTC has closed its investigation into Apple.

“Trust on the App Store is everything to us. The focus of the App Store is always to create a safe and secure experience for users, while helping them find and use great apps on the devices they love,” Apple’s Phil Schiller said in a post announcing the change. “We have great respect for the Japan Fair Trade Commission and appreciate the work we’ve done together, which will help developers of reader apps make it easier for users to set up and manage their apps and services while protecting their privacy and maintaining their trust.”

Apple is still talking up its own in-app payment system, but the company says that it plans to help reader app developers ensure that users have a similarly secure experience.

The move follows a change announced by Apple last week, allowing developers to advertise cheaper content outside the app. That move was proudly criticized as a concession that conceded almost nothing. This change is a bit more wide-reaching. It’s of note that Apple still has vague restrictions on what developers can do. They can share a “single link” and only that. Would it be in one place or multiple? Are they only allowed to surface a sign-up link when the user first opens the app, or would it be hidden in the settings screen? The change comes into force at some point in 2022. Hopefully, Apple will provide more clarity by then.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
These Android apps are spying on you — and there’s no easy way to stop them
Illustration of a giant eye stalking through a phone

Android’s security woes need no introduction, but another threat that hasn’t received its fair share of awareness relates to spyware and stalkerware apps. These apps can secretly be installed on a victim’s phone to monitor their activity and can be exploited to harass victims of domestic abuse and engage in online stalking. All someone needs is physical access to the victim's phone to install these apps, which is not too difficult in cases of domestic abuse.

Call it an app-fueled version of AirTag stalking, but on steroids, because these spyware apps can steal everything including messages, call logs, emails, photos, and videos. Some can even activate the microphone and the camera, and secretly transfer these recordings to a remote server where the abuser can access it. Since Google Play's policies don't allow stalking apps, these apps are sold via third-party websites and need to be sideloaded.

Read more
You can now try the OnePlus 11 for free for 100 days — here’s how
Someone holding the OnePlus 11.

Buying a new smartphone is always a gamble in terms of customer satisfaction — mainly because they cost so much and can be so different from the device that the buyer is currently using.

To combat this, OnePlus is giving customers the chance to try the OnePlus 11 entirely risk-free. Starting today, the company is running the "100 Days No Regret" program, which allows OnePlus 11 buyers to use the new flagship for up to 100 days and still be eligible to return it for a full refund.

Read more
What is Amazon Music: everything you need to know
Amazon Music

It's a jungle of music streaming platforms out there, so it stands to reason that Amazon would have one among its massive kingdom of services. And while Amazon Music might not be top of mind among the Spotifys and Apple Musics of the world, you might be surprised by its 100-million-song library, high-resolution and spatial audio offerings, podcast library, Alexa voice control, and a pretty amiable user interface that makes finding music pretty easy.

Amazon Music's subscriptions range from free to its premium Music Unlimited tier, which can be added for $9 per month on top of a subscription to Amazon Prime. But they all come with some quirks and features. We're going to break them all down for you to help you choose which, if any, Amazon Music plan is right for you.

Read more