Apple tax is over in the US! Apple finally bows: developers can bypass the 30% commission

Apple has adjusted its App Store commission rules due to US regulations.

Apple has updated the App Review Guidelines for the United States, clarifying that developers can include buttons, external links or other calls to action in apps on the U.S. App Store without additional authorization.

U.S. federal judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers previously ruled that Apple violated a 2021 court order by failing to open external payment options to the App Store.

In response, Apple said in a statement: “We strongly disagree with the ruling. We will comply with the court’s order and appeal.”

In addition, this ruling is only effective for iOS developers in the United States. Currently, Chinese iOS developers must comply with the relevant provisions of Apple’s “App Review Guidelines”, “not encouraging users to use purchase methods other than in-app purchase items within the app”, otherwise they may face the situation of app being removed from the shelves.

From App developers to ordinary consumers, doubts about the “Apple tax” are gradually rising in China. In addition, in terms of fees, China is still one of the countries with the highest commission rates for Apple’s in-app transactions in the world. The “Apple tax” rates levied by Apple on standard enterprises and small and medium-sized developers in the Chinese market are 30% and 15% respectively.