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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple is today beginning to implement App Store pricing increases across all territories and countries that use the euro, with the hike attributed to the euro's weakness against the U.S. dollar. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, whose company is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Apple, spoke up on the price update and said Apple had no justification for it.

iOS-App-Store-General-Feature-Black.jpg

In a statement, Sweeney likened Apple to a landlord with tenants that have nowhere else to go as there is no alternative App Store for developers to use.
Imagine if a landlord told their small business tenant they had to increase their prices without any say in the matter or anywhere else to go. That is what Apple is doing to developers for no other reason than to pad Apple's bottom line. They are unilaterally imposing a price increase on developers across multiple countries without any justification. Developers don't have a choice but to comply because the App Store is the only way they can reach over a billion iOS users.
Apple first announced the price increases last month, giving developers about three weeks notice. App Store pricing works on a tiered basis, and what Apple is doing is raising the cost of all preset tiers. The minimum €0.99 tier, for example, has jumped to to €1.19, while the maximum tier has increased from €999 to €1,199. Full pricing tiers are listed on Apple's website.

Along with countries that use the euro, Apple is also increasing prices in Chile, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, and Vietnam.

Developers who sell apps in countries that use the euro can lower their App Store prices or pass the higher cost along to consumers, but as Sweeney points out, there is no alternate method for developers to provide apps to customers on iPhones and iPads without using Apple's App Store.

Epic Games and Apple have been engaged in a long legal battle over Apple's App Store policies. Sweeney and his company deliberately broke the App Store rules and then filed a lawsuit against Apple with the hope that the court would order Apple to allow third-party app stores to operate on iOS devices.

The lawsuit did not go in Epic Games' favor and Apple was not ordered to support alternate app stores. The two companies are now engaged in a lengthy appeals process, and Apple is also facing legislation in multiple countries that could ultimately require it to make some changes to allow for sideloading.

Article Link: Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Criticizes Apple Over App Store Price Increases
 

SoldOnApple

macrumors 65816
Jul 20, 2011
1,251
2,142
It's called inflation mr Sweeney Todd. Since 2007 99 cents is now worth more than $1.40. So with these new prices apps are actually cheaper now than they were in 2007 when the iPhone launched. The App Store actually launched 2008, so inflation since then means 99 cents is now worth $1.36. Raising the prices helps developers more than Apple, because developers get 70% cut of their app sales, Apple only gets 30. Of course if you can't or refuse to sell your app on the App Store then you get 0% and Apple gets 0%, so no one wins there.
 

erikkfi

macrumors 68000
May 19, 2017
1,726
8,097
If there were multiple app markets or installation methods on iOS, there would be a distorting effect on prices. Price increases across the board would have to be implemented with greater care. Why this is considered a bad thing is beyond me, aside from the bad faith arguments advanced by Apple’s shareholders.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,610
9,886
I'm a rolling stone.
It's called inflation mr Sweeney Todd. Since 2007 99 cents is now worth more than $1.40. So with these new prices apps are actually cheaper now than they were in 2007 when the iPhone launched. The App Store actually launched 2008, so inflation since then means 99 cents is now worth $1.36. Raising the prices helps developers more than Apple, because developers get 70% cut of their app sales, Apple only gets 30. Of course if you can't or refuse to sell your app on the App Store then you get 0% and Apple gets 0%, so no one wins there.
Nope
Exchange rates are.
 

ACHD

macrumors regular
Jul 28, 2015
204
367
If there were multiple app markets or installation methods on iOS, there would be a distorting effect on prices. Price increases across the board would have to be implemented with greater care. Why this is considered a bad thing is beyond me, aside from the bad faith arguments advanced by Apple’s shareholders.
Because its admission that apple strong arms all developers and people CANT accept apple does that so they refuse to accept anything thats good.

The reality is a LOT of places ARE NOT raising prices to compensate for a lower Euro.

I subscribe for a service that is 20 Euro.. used to cost me 28 or more USD now its around 22 and less per USD.. No price changes at all....

**** wish I could buy fk tons of Euro on a Euro only card or something now for the future lol....
 

ACHD

macrumors regular
Jul 28, 2015
204
367
It's called inflation mr Sweeney Todd. Since 2007 99 cents is now worth more than $1.40. So with these new prices apps are actually cheaper now than they were in 2007 when the iPhone launched. The App Store actually launched 2008, so inflation since then means 99 cents is now worth $1.36. Raising the prices helps developers more than Apple, because developers get 70% cut of their app sales, Apple only gets 30. Of course if you can't or refuse to sell your app on the App Store then you get 0% and Apple gets 0%, so no one wins there.
Actually the exchange rates are what is qouted and talked about. The exchange rates arent as good any more.

20 Euro used to be 28 USD. now its 22 USD.

Apple is getting less money for the same prices.. They want higher USD amounts................
 

spiggott

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2002
23
31
The prices are going up because Apple is having to pay for ridiculous legal battles with guys like Tim Sweeney who accepted the terms of the Apple developer agreement in order to create his (Epic's) developer account in the first place. Now he wants a bigger share of revenue because Fortnight was a massive success. You can't have it both ways, he made his decision long ago, and now he should live with it.
 

mhnd

macrumors newbie
Aug 18, 2020
22
85
Actually the exchange rates are what is qouted and talked about. The exchange rates arent as good any more.

20 Euro used to be 28 USD. now its 22 USD.

Apple is getting less money for the same prices.. They want higher USD amounts................

Uh, no. 20 Euro are now worth 19,75 USD, which means USD is currently stronger than Euro, unlike in the not-so-distant past.
 

SDJim

macrumors 6502a
Aug 4, 2017
689
2,384
San Diego, CA
Apple had no justification for it.
What a moronic statement. Thanks for the reminder that rampant inflation and a weakened currency have no personal effect on you, Tim, I almost felt pity!
The price of everything has gone up, this is hardly surprising. Is Timmy going to go after REAL landlords for raising rent over time??? What an asinine commentary.
 
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