If you thought the Apple Tax was bad on iPhones already, prepare for even more trouble. In a new development, Apple is making iOS games cost more than they already do.
Are iOS games more expensive than Android games?
After years of near-equal treatment between Android and iOS prices, Apple has unveiled plans to increase the prices of iOS games. Focusing on traditional purchases and in-game microtransactions, every facet of iPhone gaming is about to get more expensive.
Through Apple’s official website, “the price of apps and in-app purchases (excluding auto-renewable subscriptions) in the Apple App Store will increase”. However, they will not be more expensive in every region.
Currently, the new price mandate only hinders “Chile, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, Vietnam”. Moreover, all countries that use the euro as their currency will have to deal with the price increase.
iOS game developers can choose to help customers for now. Gamers who have an active subscription may still be able to pay their old subscription price. However, this is at the behest of individual developers.
Why are the prices rising?
Apple gave no reason for the near-global price increase of iOS software. However, with the ongoing cost of living and inflation in key markets, it appears that Apple is simply following trends.
It is telling, however, that the company is not raising prices in two of its main markets: the United States and the United Kingdom. With consumers in the US and UK buying fewer smartphones each year, Apple is seemingly trying not to annoy potential consumers further.
Hopefully, this inflation will only affect iOS games. Unfortunately, it’s likely that Android games will also suffer from similar inflation in the coming months.
