Apple App Store update means devs can soon charge up to RM49,999 for an app

Apple has announced a bunch of new changes to the pricing system on the App Store, one of the biggest updates to it since it first launched. These new changes will allow app developers to choose from an additional 700 different price points when putting their app on the platform, which Apple says will make it easier to price their apps according to region.

In total, the App Store update allows developers to choose from 900 different prices, almost 10 times more than the number of price points previously available. This pricing structure update will affect 45 different currencies in 175 countries, and for Malaysia in particular App Store prices now start at RM0.90, and rises to up to RM49,999. Devs can choose price steps in RM0.50, RM1, RM5, RM10, RM100 and RM500, and can choose from four different pricing conventions including the regional favourite of RMX.88. In contrast, under the current system all paid apps and in-app purchases in Malaysia start at RM4.90 with a maximum of RM4,799.

Apple adds that with this change, devs around the world can also manage their prices in different markets easier, keeping their local prices consistent while having it update accordingly outside of their country as foreign exchange and tax rates change, or if they prefer can also set local territory prices themselves.

This App Store update was to be expected though. Cupertino had previously agreed to expand on their pricing options in the App Store as part of a settlement between them and a group of US app developers last year, which also saw Apple allowing devs alternate payment options for in-app purchases as well as paying out a total of USD100 million to small time developers.

In any case, the new pricing structure will be available for apps that offer auto-renewable subscriptions from today onwards, while for all other apps and in-app purchases, they will be able to use the new price points sometime in March 2023 onwards.