Apple will allow unannounced price increases for App Store subscriptions

Apple has updated the rules for developers who distribute their apps through the AppStore, allowing subscriptions already selected by users to self-renew at a higher price, without the change being announced to them. Both monthly and annual subscriptions are targeted, subject to certain limits on tariff increases.

Prior to the introduction of the new rules, the only way users could subscribe to an app in the AppStore for a certain fee and end up paying a different amount for a possible renewal was if they explicitly ticked the option for automatic renewal. Even then, the process could only be completed by accepting a notification message displayed in the interface of the respective application, unequivocally informing about the adjustment of the charged fee.

But according to the new rules set by Apple, application developers can increase the cost of the monthly subscription by up to 50%, without the change being explicitly announced to users. Fortunately, there are also absolute limits specified for tariff increases that can be operated unannounced: $ 5 for monthly subscriptions and 50% for annual subscriptions. Thus, if you opted for a $ 30 annual cloud storage service, the rate may change to $ 45 without your express consent. automatic.

Another common sense limitation is that unannounced price changes to application subscriptions can only be made once a year, and any subsequent adjustments must be expressly communicated and accepted by users, regardless of price difference.