News Publishers Ask Apple for Better App Store Terms

Tim Cook at antitrust hearing

Major news publishers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal are asking Apple for better App Store terms (via WSJ).

Better App Store Terms

In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, trade body Digital Content Next representing major news publishers want better terms for digital subscriptions. Currently these companies pay Apple 30% from first-time subscriptions through iOS apps, which drops to 15% after the first year. Jason Kint, chief executive of Digital Content Next:

The terms of Apple’s unique marketplace greatly impact the ability to continue to invest in high-quality, trusted news and entertainment particularly in competition with other larger firms.

I ask that you clearly define the conditions that Amazon satisfied for its arrangement so that DCN’s member companies meeting those conditions can be offered the same agreement.

Mr. Kint is referring to an email from Eddy Cue that was brought up during a House Judiciary Committee on July 29. In it, Mr. Cue outlines terms for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos that includes a 15% revenue arrangement for customers that sign up for Amazon Prime Video through the App Store.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.