Apple’s App Store Might Have A Subscription Scam Problem

Apple gets a cut from apps sold in the App Store, that much is known. However the problem with one-off purchases is that it isn’t so sustainable, meaning that it isn’t always a guarantee that an app that sold 100,000 copies this month might be able to keep that up for the next 2-3 years. This is why Apple has been pushing developers to adopt subscription models.

Unfortunately for Apple, the subscription model in turn might have created some issues for them because according to a report from TechCrunch, they have highlighted how there are some apps that are taking advantage of this and are allegedly “scamming” users into paying for subscriptions.

The report claims that there are a number of apps on the App Store that offer free trials, but design the app in such a way that in some cases it tricks users into paying for a subscription. They also point out how there are many apps on the Top Grossing list that are surprising money makers, such as document scanners, weather apps, QR code readers, and so on, although diving into the reviews you can find many disgruntled customers who were tricked into paying for subscriptions.

Now to be fair, some of these apps do have a fine print, but in all honesty how many of us actually bothers reading them? To make things worse, Apple has made it difficult for users to unsubscribe to apps and services by burying the settings deep within the menu. It is unclear if Apple plans on doing anything about these issues, but given that subscriptions are not only a sustainable revenue model for developers, it is also the same for Apple who gets a cut from the proceeds.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Cellphones
Tags: Apps, iOS