Apple cuts its App Store commission in Taiwan from 30% to 26%
Apple's standard App Store commission in Taiwan drops from 30% to 26% starting Saturday, October 31, on paid apps and in-app purchases. The cut follows an investigation by Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission, which accepted it as a commitment that lets the regulator suspend its probe.
What changes for developers
Apple announced the change in a developer notice on Thursday, October 29. As of October 31, the commission on standard Apple In-App Purchase and paid app transactions on the Taiwan storefront of the App Store on iOS and iPadOS is 26%, down from 30%.
Developers don't have to do anything to get the lower rate. Apple says signing the updated terms by October 31 is not required to receive it from that date. The company has revised the Apple Developer Program License Agreement to match, and says translations of the updated agreement will be on the Apple Developer website within one month.
The notice covers only the standard rate. It doesn't mention the reduced rate for the App Store Small Business Program or for subscription renewals after the first year.
Why Apple made the change
Apple says it's making the changes "following discussions with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission." According to the Taipei Times, the regulator said on Friday, October 30, that it had accepted Apple's commitment to lower the rate.
The regulator had been investigating whether Apple's restrictions on app developers, including the fee it charges on paid apps and in-app purchases, broke Taiwan's Fair Trade Act. Apple offered the lower rate under a provision of that law that lets the regulator suspend an investigation in exchange for a company's commitments.
The regulator says it will monitor whether Apple keeps its promise. It can reopen the case if Apple fails to follow through, if the facts change significantly or if its decision rested on incomplete or inaccurate information.
Part of a wider pattern
Taiwan follows mainland China, where Apple made a similar change in March after discussions with the Chinese regulator. There, the standard commission fell from 30% to 25% on March 15, and the rate for the Small Business Program, the Mini Apps Partner Program and subscription renewals after the first year fell from 15% to 12%. The Taiwan notice is narrower, since it changes only the standard rate.
What it means for you
If you sell apps or digital goods through the App Store in Taiwan, you keep 4 more percentage points of each standard sale starting today, with nothing to apply for. Apple says developers can sign in to their account to accept the updated terms.
For people buying apps in Taiwan, nothing changes automatically. Apple's notice is about what developers pay Apple, not what customers pay, so any effect on prices depends on whether developers choose to pass the savings on.