Pokemon Go maker raises Play Store prices due to Apple’s App Store price hikes

Apple announced last weeks a price increase for digital purchases made in its app store, the App Store. This increase of course affects all Apple customers, whether they use an iPhone, iPad or MacBook, but unexpectedly, even Android users seem to be suffering from these price increases. Niantic, the company behind hit mobile games such as Pokemon Go and Ingress, has decided to bring the prices of Android products in line with iOS.

Pokemon Go’s Pokeming more expensive on Android too

Prices on the App Store have increased by about 20% in some regions, especially those where payments are made in Euros. So content that used to cost €0.99 has gone up to €1.19, and content that used to cost €9.99 has gone up to €11.99. Probably in order not to create an advantage for one platform or the other, Ninantic decided that the prices of digital items in their games should be the same across all platforms. So, even though Apple forced the prices up, they are also increasing in Android games.

Of course, this is just one game maker’s decision, and it’s not yet the industry rule. However, the price increase on Android is somewhat “artificial”, as Google has not imposed higher fees or price increases. That means Android sales will be more profitable for Niantic following this price hike, while iPhone purchases will bring in as much money as before the inflation of the last few years.

It remains to be seen whether other app developers will apply the same strategy, or prefer to sell more cheaply on Android, thus giving an advantage to the Google store, which has not yet imposed price increases on content listed on the Play Store.