Apple has pretty strict guidelines around its App Store. Just last month, it removed a popular app because it was named after a drug, a move it had to reverse after backlash from the public. Now the company is cracking down on apps with “irrationally high prices”.
There have been numerous posts in Apple’s developer forums in recent months claiming developers their applications had been removed because they set high prices. One of those developers had subscription offers worth $ 39.99 / month going up to $ 99.99 / year with a reported 60% retention rate, but was still being rebuked by Apple.
A new report from 9to5Mac cites a similar case where a developer’s submission was rejected for the same reason. Apple sent the following email to the developer:
Customers expect the App Store to be a safe and trusted marketplace for purchasing digital goods. Apps should never betray this trust by attempting to defraud or defraud users in any way.
Unfortunately, the prices you have selected for your app or in-app purchase products in your app do not reflect the value of the features and content offered to the user. Charging irrationally high prices for content or services of limited value is a rip off for customers and is not appropriate for the App Store.
[…] To resolve this issue, we recommend that you take the following steps:
- Review your app or in-app purchase products to provide more value to the user at the point of purchase
- Choose a price for your app or in-app purchase products that accurately reflects the value offered to the user
- After making the correct changes, resubmit your app for review
The next submission of this app may take longer to review and will not be eligible for an accelerated review until this issue is resolved.
While the developer was able to get their app published by explaining to Apple that they use expensive APIs that drive up the most costs, the move certainly highlights a growing trend for the company to remove apps it believes are its customers. drop off.
Indeed, the App Store Review Guidelines state that:
There are many ways to monetize your app in the App Store. If your business model isn’t obvious, explain it in the app rating metadata and comments. If we can’t understand how your app works or if your in-app purchases aren’t immediately apparent, this will slow down your review and lead to a rejection. And while you set the price, we don’t distribute apps and in-app purchase items that are clearly a scam. We will reject expensive apps that try to defraud users with irrationally high prices.
The above wording is arguably unclear as it does not define a threshold for what Apple considers “irrationally high prices”. This seems to be a growing pain point for honest developers who are rightly charging high prices for their services. Other older forum posts have also highlighted instances where Apple takes a long time to respond to developer justifications and restore apps.