This is why app prices are all so similar, all coming in at $0.99.
or $9.99, rather than $8.76, for example.
This week,Apple has expanded the available range of prices massively, almost tenfold, to 900 options.
Zhiyue / Unsplash
But there’s more big news.
Variable regional pricing will change the way apps can be sold internationally.
It’s a good plan to increase sales worldwide."
Apple
Price Points
In addition to the expanded range of prices, developers can now choose different endings.
Instead of $4.99, they can sell for $5.00.
And double leading digits are also available.
Then, Apple would automatically translate that price to various currencies worldwide, like 12.99 in Europe.
Now, a developer could choose Euros as their primary currency and have the auto-calculated prices based on that.
Apples example describes a US-based game developer whose primary market is Japan.
This brings quite a bit of flexibility to international pricing.
A developer can now choose their principal currency, letting the other territories fall where they may.
$10,000
And what about that new $10,000 price mentioned at the top?
Is that the kind of thing Apple is encouraging here?
More likely, this is a way for Apple to attract enterprise and business app makers to iOS.
30 Percent
And that brings us to the App Store’s big problem.
For developers of complex, pro-level apps, it might be possible to write off that 30 percent cut.
It needs to fundamentally change how the App Store works.
We won’t hold our breath.
