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Apple Lets Amazon Prime Video App Offer In-App Purchases on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV

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The Amazon Prime Video apps for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV now allow customers to purchase and rent movies and TV shows within the app, and Apple appears to be allowing Amazon to use its own payment system, skirting the traditional in-app purchase screens.

amazoninapppurchase.jpg

Opening up the Prime Video app now includes the message "Browse, rent, or buy new release movies, popular TV shows, and more -- now within the app." Purchasing or renting a movie brings up an option to charge the credit card that a user has on file, rather than the charge going through the App Store.

According to The Verge, the new Prime Video app features a dedicated "Store" tab where customers can make purchases of TV shows and movies, but we didn't have access to the new tab and were still able to make a purchase.

Prior to now, Amazon did not allow customers to rent or purchase content within the Prime Video app, instead asking them to use a web browser to make the purchases. Amazon appears to have worked out some kind of deal with Apple, though, as Apple does not normally allow in-app content purchases that do not go through the App Store.

Amazon recently added a new Prime Video Cinema hub to its app highlighting movies that are currently in theaters that can be purchased, which could have something to do with the decision to strike a deal with Apple to add in-app purchase options on Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad.

Update: Apple told Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that it has an existing program for "premium" video apps subscriptions, including Amazon Prime, to allow them to use their own payment methods instead of in-app purchases. Apple has already used this program with Altice One and Canal+.

Article Link: Apple Lets Amazon Prime Video App Offer In-App Purchases on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/04/01/apple-amazon-prime-video-in-app-purchases/
Last edited:
So what is the difference between this, in app purchases and buying from an online store like Zalando?

Zalando offerte 3rd party payment options and is in the AppStore for years already. They don’t use in app purchases.
Mao why does amazon need to use it?
 
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2010mini said:
This isn’t new. Other Rent/buy streaming content Providers have done this before.
Click to expand...


Finally someone gets it right.

This article is incorrect. Apple only requires IAP for unlocking "features or functionality within [the] app." Guideline 3.1.1.

Apple has never required apps to use IAP for selling goods and services that can be consumed outside of the app, which Amazon has been doing for years in the Amazon Store app.

  • 3.1.5(a) Goods and Services Outside of the App: If your app enables people to purchase goods or services that will be consumed outside of the app, you must use purchase methods other than in-app purchase to collect those payments, such as Apple Pay or traditional credit card entry.
Spotify offers subscriptions for unlocking features (no ads, etc) not individual songs, which is why it must use IAP.
 
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Apple has absolutely required a cut of payment for DIGITAL stuff.

That's why you've had to open your browser window for Prime Video, Kindle Books, Audible books, etc. Plus, platforms like Steam got blocked for the longest time until they made sure to block all Steam purchases.
 
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Vol Braakzakje said:
So what is the difference between this, in app purchases and buying from an online store like Zalando?

Zalando offerte 3rd party payment options and is in the AppStore for years already. They don’t use in app purchases.
Mao why does amazon need to use it?
Click to expand...
Not exactly what Zalando is, but it looks like a clothing reseller? Which is fine, Apple does not compete with them.

The prohibition has always been about companies that compete with Apple on services/non-tangible product, such as Music/Video/Online Services. That is why companies like Netflix, Spotify, and (until now) Amazon did not sell subscriptions, they did not want to pay Apple 30% (or 15% after 1 year).
 
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2010mini said:
This isn’t new. Other Rent/buy streaming content Providers have done this before.
Click to expand...

No they haven't.

So, is this Apple folding in the hopes that Amazon won't throw their financial help behind the anti-competition case in Europe (which Apple will lose anyway) or is it them cutting a sweetheart deal which makes an anti-competition case even more inevitable from elsewhere?

The sooner the EU throws the book at them over this the better.
 
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Vol Braakzakje said:
So what is the difference between this, in app purchases and buying from an online store like Zalando?

Zalando offerte 3rd party payment options and is in the AppStore for years already. They don’t use in app purchases.
Mao why does amazon need to use it?
Click to expand...

There is no difference. Apple has never prohibited this.
[automerge]1585773788[/automerge]
The Phazer said:
No they haven't.

So, is this Apple folding in the hopes that Amazon won't throw their financial help behind the anti-competition case in Europe (which Apple will lose anyway) or is it them cutting a sweetheart deal which makes an anti-competition case even more inevitable from elsewhere?

The sooner the EU throws the book at them over this the better.
Click to expand...

Yes they have. Apps that offers subscriptions to access music, videos, etc, are not the same thing as apps that sell the media itself (rather than the functionality to access all media for the subscription).
 
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The Phazer said:
No they haven't.

So, is this Apple folding in the hopes that Amazon won't throw their financial help behind the anti-competition case in Europe (which Apple will lose anyway) or is it them cutting a sweetheart deal which makes an anti-competition case even more inevitable from elsewhere?

The sooner the EU throws the book at them over this the better.
Click to expand...


rjohnstone said:
Not being sent through Apple's payment system is new.
Up until now, Apple didn't allow 3rd party payment options. They wanted the 30% cut from in-app purchases, which is why Amazon wouldn't let you rent or buy movies directly from the app.
Click to expand...
Apple still might be getting their cut, we don’t know yet.
 
az431 said:
Finally someone gets it right.

This article is incorrect. Apple only requires IAP for unlocking "features or functionality within [the] app." Guideline 3.1.1.

Apple has never required apps to use IAP for selling goods and services that can be consumed outside of the app, which Amazon has been doing for years in the Amazon Store app.

  • 3.1.5(a) Goods and Services Outside of the App: If your app enables people to purchase goods or services that will be consumed outside of the app, you must use purchase methods other than in-app purchase to collect those payments, such as Apple Pay or traditional credit card entry.
Spotify offers subscriptions for unlocking features (no ads, etc) not individual songs, which is why it must use IAP.
Click to expand...

You're misreading the clause, that refers to if the service can *only* be consumed outside of the app - i.e. you can't run a service that doesn't supply content to an iPhone (such as a PC piracy service) and then have an iOS donation app that otherwise has no purpose.

The clause relating to content that can be consumed within the app is

  • 3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services: Apps that operate across multiple platforms may allow users to access content, subscriptions, or features they have acquired in your app on other platforms or your web site, including consumable items in multiplatform games, provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app. You must not directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods must not discourage use of in-app purchase
 
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az431 said:
Finally someone gets it right.

This article is incorrect. Apple only requires IAP for unlocking "features or functionality within [the] app." Guideline 3.1.1.

Apple has never required apps to use IAP for selling goods and services that can be consumed outside of the app, which Amazon has been doing for years in the Amazon Store app.

  • 3.1.5(a) Goods and Services Outside of the App: If your app enables people to purchase goods or services that will be consumed outside of the app, you must use purchase methods other than in-app purchase to collect those payments, such as Apple Pay or traditional credit card entry.
Spotify offers subscriptions for unlocking features (no ads, etc) not individual songs, which is why it must use IAP.
Click to expand...
You do understand that these videos can be consumed IN THE APP, right? This is unprecedented.
 
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The wall is cracking... maybe we'll finally see the ability to distribute free apps (whether via the open internet or the app store) without paying Apple an annual fee or going through other hoops...
 
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