The creator of the Delta game emulator, Riley Testuttook a bold step to circumvent the fees imposed by Apple on the App Store. The application now offers a direct link to the page Patreon of its developer and offers exclusive benefits to subscribers. And to encourage this alternative, Testut has tripled the prices of subscriptions available through Apple’s in-app purchases.
This strategy that he himself describes de « do not buy sale » reflects both support and criticism of Apple’s new policies.
A pricing strategy that favors Patreon
Since a recent update, the Delta app offers two subscription options : via Patreon or directly on the App Store. However, the prices displayed in the iOS application are deliberately much higher. Monthly subscriptions available on Patreon offered at 3 $, 5 $ et 10 $ according to the level of services are respectively displayed at 10 $, 15 $ et 30 $ when purchased through Apple. Obviously, this increase is intended to dissuade users from using Apple’s in-app payment system.
To take advantage of the new offer, users will have to click on the external link in the app settings and will then be redirected to the developer’s Patreon page. This model not only allows access to the same benefits, such as support for iPad and SEGA Genesisbut also to circumvent the fees imposed by Apple.
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Circumventing Apple fees thanks to a new policy
In reality, this approach is based on l’External Purchase Link Entitlementa policy introduced by Apple last January. This now allows developers to include links to external platforms to make payments in exchange for a modest reduction in commissions taken by Apple. These costs thus go from 30% to 27%, a concession obtained after the opposing trial Epic Games to Apple where the latter had been found guilty of anti-competitive practices.
However, Riley Testut seems unconvinced by this marginal reduction. He claims that Patreon offers much more flexibility than Apple’s in-app purchasing system, particularly for managing refunds or providing personalized customer support. “We really don’t want people to use in-app purchases,” he told The Verge. According to him, Patreon is much better suited to the needs of independent creators.
Delta: a pioneer in the use of the new system
Delta could well be the first application to exploit this new possibility offered by Apple. By adopting this hybrid model, Testut highlights the limits of the integrated purchasing system while testing the reaction of users to this price increase. If this approach proves effective, it could inspire other developers wishing to reduce their dependence on centralized platforms like the App Store.
For Delta, this initiative is not limited to a simple question of costs. It also illustrates a philosophical choice : favor a direct relationship with your community via Patreon rather than complying with the constraints imposed by Apple. A decision that could redefine the way in which certain developers envisage their economic model in the face of technological giants.
SOURCE : THE VERGE
