Manzana has announced that “reading” apps will be able to link to an external website so that the user can register or manage their account. This new measure, which will end the investigation of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC), will arrive in 2022 and will allow some applications to offer registration within the application itself.
Currently, platforms such as Netflix or Spotify do not have an option that offers a user the possibility of registering through the application itself. If a person needs to create a new account, they must do it externally — for example, through the browser.
With this new measure, the applications cataloged as “reader apps“, including Netflix, Hulu Spotify or other apps that offer a streaming service or, in some cases, under subscription, including those of magazines or books – may offer the user a separate registration from the App Store and without the need to exit the application itself, thus skipping Apple’s 30% commission and preventing consumers from taking unnecessary steps.
Apple to modify the app review process
The company refers to “reading” apps as those that “they do not offer digital goods and services within the application for purchase”. But what about those developers who do not meet the requirements and apply the new conditions?
Apple has confirmed that modify the review process of applications so that “users of reading applications continue to have a safe experience in the App Store.” It will also offer protection measures when making payments outside the App Store. On the other hand, the JFTC has ensured that the company has committed to providing an annual transparency report on the review process of the aforementioned applications.
Apple, remember, announced new measures for developers who publish their applications in the App Store. The most important; app creators they will be able to inform about an alternative payment method Apple’s, but with some conditions. Among them, that developers use an external channel to inform about payment methods – for example, through e-mail.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, a new bill aims to force the Cupertino company, as well as Google, to offer alternative payment methods to the app store itself, giving the possibility that developers can skip the 30% commission (15% in some cases).