Would you buy a $10,000 iPhone app?
Apple has drastically expanded its App Store price points to give developers more control over how they price their apps in 45 currencies across 175 storefronts.
Apple says the changes to app pricing are aimed to give developers more flexibility in how they price apps across the world. It's adding 700 new price points, as well as pricing tools in its payments system to set prices per App Store country or region, and manage foreign exchange rates.
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The move follows Apple last year settling a class action brought by iOS developers over Apple banning apps that bypass Apple's payment system for in-app purchases. One condition of the settlement was that Apple would expand the number of price points available to developers for subscriptions and in-app purchases. Developers had also complained about the $0.99 minimum in the App Store.
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Now, developers will have 900 price points to pick from for a variety of apps, including subscriptions and one-time purchases. There are 600 new price points available, as well as 100 higher price points between $1,000 to $10,000 that are available upon request to Apple. Price points range from USD 29c to $10,000. Previously, the limit was $1,000.
The new "price steps" include 10c, 50c, $1, $5, $10, and $100. The extra selection of price points can increase incrementally across price ranges. Apple's examples in the table below include every 10c up to $10, every 50c between $10 and $50, and every $1 between $100 and $200.
Additionally, developers can choose to have rounded price endings, instead of .99. And developers of subscription apps selling in multiple storefronts and currencies can pick a local storefront they know best as the basis for automatically generating prices. In the spring of 2023, all apps will have this pricing capability.
"Pricing has been foundational to these capabilities, enabling developers to choose from a variety of business models, such as one-time purchases and multiple subscription types," Apple says in a press release.
"These new pricing enhancements will be available for apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions starting today, and for all other apps and in-app purchases in spring 2023, giving all developers unprecedented flexibility and control to price their products in 45 currencies throughout 175 storefronts."