Developers’ Beef With Apple’s In-App Purchase System Just Went International

For nearly a decade, Apple has its own in-app purchase system in which developers can sell items within an app, like a subscription, additional content, cosmetics for games, and so on. Apple usually takes a 30% cut, and for the longest time ever, most developers seemed fine with it (maybe not necessarily happy, but no one really spoke up).

Unfortunately for Apple, it looks like their legal problems have gone international because following Epic’s lawsuit against the company over the 30% cut from in-app purchases, a group of startups over in Korea have submitted a petition to the Korea Communications Commission asking them to investigate Apple and Google as to whether they are violating any laws related to in-app purchases.

According to Korea Startup Forum President Choi Sung-jin, it seems that the issue isn’t so much to do with the 30% cut, but rather the notion that companies like Apple and Google are forcing developers into using a specific payment system, instead of making it an option. The group feels that while larger companies might have the clout to negotiate with Apple and Google, smaller companies don’t and are typically forced to accept it.

This issue seems to have to do more with Apple than Google. This is because unlike Google where users can sideload apps easily, there is no such option for Apple devices.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Cellphones
Tags: Android, Apps, Google, iOS, Legal