Apple has announced an App Store policy update that will impact both developers and customers alike.
This as the company confirmed a change for its app marketplace that will allow for automatic renewals at a higher price without the need for subscriber permission to authorise.
“With this update, under certain specific conditions and with advance user notice, developers may also offer an auto-renewable subscription price increase, without the user needing to take action and without interrupting the service,” the company explained.
The reason for the policy change is reportedly down to customer experience in Apple’s argument, with opt-ins for renewal supposedly interruption the quality of service.
“Currently, when an auto-renewable subscription price is increased, subscribers must opt in before the price increase is applied. The subscription doesn’t renew at the next billing period for subscribers who didn’t opt in to the new price. This has led to some services being unintentionally interrupted for users and they must take steps to resubscribe within the app, from Settings on iPhone and iPad, or in the App Store on Mac,” says Apple
Naturally this new policy change will likely rub subscribers the wrong way, so to temper any potential backlash, Apple has also outlined some of the rules to which auto-renewal increases without permission will be allowed to happen.
To that end the company says, “specific conditions for this feature are that the price increase doesn’t occur more than once per year, doesn’t exceed US$5 and 50% of the subscription price, or US$50 and 50% for an annual subscription price, and is permissible by local law.”
“In these situations, Apple always notifies users of an increase in advance, including via email, push notification, and a message within the app. Apple will also notify users of how to view, manage, and cancel subscriptions if preferred,” it adds.
How consumers will react to this policy change long term is unclear, but for now it may be a good idea to look over the services and apps you are subscribed to, before an unforeseen price increase surprises you.
