Apple announced the launch of aThe new App Store Mini Apps Partner Program The "App Store Mini Apps Partner Program" offers fee reduction benefits to developers of mini-apps that provide services within large apps. Under the new program, eligible developers will see their commission rate for in-app purchases halved from the current 30% to 15%.
It needs to support iPadOS and import an age-rating API to prevent bypassing parental controls.
"Mini Apps" are self-contained experiences that exist within another large app, typically in the form of web-based games. While Apple allowed such experiences to exist for many years, it wasn't until last year that it officially allowed mini app developers to support their own in-app purchase functionality.
To participate in this 15% discount partner program, developers must meet several additional technical requirements:
. Cross-device support:It must support both iOS and iPadOS features.
. API concatenation:You need to implement Apple's Advanced Commerce API.
. Age rating:The Declared Age Range API must be imported. Apple emphasizes that this requirement is to prevent underage users from bypassing the app's parental control settings by accessing mini-apps with higher age ratings.
Responding to regulatory pressure, following up on Epic Games and the case resolution
Apple’s commission structure has long been a point of contention, and the company is facing immense pressure from regulators around the world to change its commission policies to prove that it does not involve monopolistic or anti-competitive practices.
Apple's App Store policies have changed several times this year. In addition to the recent legal battle with Epic Games nearing its end, some App Store guidelines have also been revised to allow external payment options.
This move to reduce the cost of mini apps is seen as another gesture of goodwill from Apple to developers and regulators while maintaining control over its ecosystem.
