$Apple(AAPL.US)$ will ease payment rules for certain apps like Netflix and Spotify, in a concession that will allow some media platforms to bypass fees the tech giant collects on in-app purchases.
The move was prompted by a ruling from Japan's Fair Trade Commission but will apply globally, the company said in a press release late Wednesday. Starting in early 2022, some media apps will be able to share a single link to their website to allow users to set up and manage their account.
The iPhone maker has come under intense scrutiny from regulators and app developers globally for the dominance it asserts over in-app purchases as well as App Store sales. Apple requires developers sell their digital goods and services using the company's in-app payment system, which collects a commission of up to 30%.
The changes will affect "reader" apps, which are platforms that allow users to consume previously-purchased entertainment content or subscriptions like music, video, audio, and news. It is a category of app that covers the likes of Netflix, Kindle, and Spotify -- the latter of which has been a longtime critic of Apple's gatekeeping role over the App Store while its Apple Music remains a key Spotify rival.
Platforms like Netflix and Spotify already allow users to manage their accounts and make payments via the internet, bypassing Apple's payments system. But consumers aren't told of this option through the apps, and accessing the internet to do this hasn't been possible through their apps. That will change when the move comes into effect.
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"
-said Phil Schiller, an Apple executive who oversees the App Store.
While Apple's dominance over app payments has borne much of the brunt from regulators, the size of its commission is unlikely to be critical to the company's success. Apple generated commissions of $21.7 billion from the App Store in 2020, or about 8% of its annual revenue, according to app tracker Sensor Tower. So even if Apple was forced to cut its commission in half, the damage would be less than 5% of its total revenue.
Apple's decision comes hot on the tail of a law passed in South Korea this week that will require the company as well as rival Google, owned by $Alphabet -CL A(GOOGL.US)$, to allow alternative payment systems on their app stores.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 02, 2021 08:09 ET (12:09 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
$Apple(AAPL.US)$ will ease payment rules for certain apps like Netflix and Spotify, in a concession that will allow some media platforms to bypass fees the tech giant collects on in-app purchases.
$蘋果(AAPL.US)$將放寬Netflix和Spotify等某些應用的支付規則，這一讓步將允許一些媒體平台繞過這家科技巨頭收取的應用內購買費用。
The move was prompted by a ruling from Japan's Fair Trade Commission but will apply globally, the company said in a press release late Wednesday. Starting in early 2022, some media apps will be able to share a single link to their website to allow users to set up and manage their account.
該公司週三晚間在一份新聞稿中表示，這一舉措是由日本公平交易委員會(Fair Trade Commission)的一項裁決推動的，但將適用於全球。從2022年初開始，一些媒體應用程序將能夠共享指向其網站的單一鏈接，以允許用户設置和管理他們的賬户。
The iPhone maker has come under intense scrutiny from regulators and app developers globally for the dominance it asserts over in-app purchases as well as App Store sales. Apple requires developers sell their digital goods and services using the company's in-app payment system, which collects a commission of up to 30%.
這家iPhone製造商受到全球監管機構和應用開發商的嚴格審查，因為它在應用內購買和App Store銷售方面佔據主導地位。蘋果要求開發商使用該公司的應用內支付系統銷售他們的數字產品和服務，該系統收取高達30%的佣金。
The changes will affect "reader" apps, which are platforms that allow users to consume previously-purchased entertainment content or subscriptions like music, video, audio, and news. It is a category of app that covers the likes of Netflix, Kindle, and Spotify -- the latter of which has been a longtime critic of Apple's gatekeeping role over the App Store while its Apple Music remains a key Spotify rival.
這些變化將影響“閲讀器”應用程序，這些應用程序是允許用户使用之前購買的娛樂內容或訂閲(如音樂、視頻、音頻和新聞)的平台。這是一個涵蓋Netflix、Kindle和Spotify等應用程序的類別--後者長期以來一直批評蘋果在App Store上的把關角色，而其Apple Music仍然是Spotify的主要競爭對手。
Platforms like Netflix and Spotify already allow users to manage their accounts and make payments via the internet, bypassing Apple's payments system. But consumers aren't told of this option through the apps, and accessing the internet to do this hasn't been possible through their apps. That will change when the move comes into effect.
像Netflix和Spotify這樣的平台已經允許用户繞過蘋果的支付系統，通過互聯網管理他們的賬户並進行支付。但消費者不會通過應用程序被告知這一選項，而且通過他們的應用程序訪問互聯網也不可能做到這一點。當這一舉措生效時，這種情況將會改變。
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"
-said Phil Schiller, an Apple executive who oversees the App Store.
我們非常尊重日本公平貿易委員會(Japan Fair Trade Commission)，並感謝我們共同所做的工作，這將幫助閲讀器應用程序的開發商讓用户更容易地設置和管理他們的應用程序和服務，同時保護他們的隱私並維持他們的信任。“
-負責App Store的蘋果高管菲爾·席勒(Phil Schiller)説。
While Apple's dominance over app payments has borne much of the brunt from regulators, the size of its commission is unlikely to be critical to the company's success. Apple generated commissions of $21.7 billion from the App Store in 2020, or about 8% of its annual revenue, according to app tracker Sensor Tower. So even if Apple was forced to cut its commission in half, the damage would be less than 5% of its total revenue.
儘管蘋果在應用支付領域的主導地位首當其衝地受到了監管機構的衝擊，但其佣金的規模不太可能對該公司的成功起到關鍵作用。根據應用程序追蹤公司Sensor Tower的數據，蘋果在2020年從App Store獲得了217億美元的佣金，約佔其年收入的8%。因此，即使蘋果被迫將佣金削減一半，損失也不到其總收入的5%。
Apple's decision comes hot on the tail of a law passed in South Korea this week that will require the company as well as rival Google, owned by $Alphabet -CL A(GOOGL.US)$, to allow alternative payment systems on their app stores.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 02, 2021 08:09 ET (12:09 GMT)
2021年09月02日08：09美國東部時間(格林尼治標準時間12：09)
Copyright (c) 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
