Microsoft Wanted To Bypass Apple’s 30% Cut From The App Store

Apple charges developers a 30% commission from apps sold in its App Store and also from in-app purchases. That is more or less the standard, and while Apple does have better relationships with some developers than others that might grant those developers better visibility, Apple has typically never budged from its 30% commission.

During the Apple VS Epic trial, it was revealed in emails that apparently Microsoft wanted to be an exception to that rule. In an email sent to Apple, Microsoft had asked Apple to allow them to redirect users to its website to purchase its products or services, like Office, so that they could bypass the 30% commission that Apple takes.

Unsurprisingly, Apple said no. In an email from Apple exec Phil Schiller, “We run the store, we collect the revenue.” It’s not surprising that Apple said no, but given Apple and Microsoft’s relationship with each other over the decades, you would have thought that maybe both companies could come to some kind of compromise.

That being said, Microsoft is not alone in trying to circumvent the App Store’s commissions. Other apps such as Netflix have also done something similar, where users who want to subscribe will have to do so through Netflix’s website. Netflix doesn’t actually promote this so they aren’t technically violating the rules.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, General
Tags: Apps, iOS, Microsoft