Amidst global antitrust pressure, Apple's seemingly impenetrable "Apple tax" barrier has finally made significant concessions in the Chinese market. Apple earlier...AnnouncementApple announced that, starting March 15, 2026, it will comprehensively adjust the revenue-sharing structure of the App Store in the Chinese market. The most notable change is the reduction of the revenue share for standard in-app purchases and paid apps on iOS and iPadOS from 30% (since 2008) to 25%. This decision, officially described as "after communication with Chinese regulatory authorities," not only ends the 18-year-long era of the unreasonable 30/70 revenue split but also highlights Apple's strategic compromise in the face of the world's largest single market.
A list of the new "Apple Tax" rates: effective immediately without the need for a new contract.
According to Apple's latest announcement to developers, this fee adjustment for the App Store in China covers developers at different levels, with the specific changes as follows:
• Standard commission rate reduced:For in-app purchases on iOS and iPadOS, as well as paid apps, the standard revenue share will be reduced from 30% to 25%.
• Small developers and subscription benefits:Developers who qualify for the App Store Small Business Program and the Mini Apps Partner Program will have their in-app purchase revenue share reduced from 15% to 12%.
• Long-term subscription benefits:For auto-renewing subscription services, the revenue share for subsequent renewals after the first year of subscription will also be reduced from 15% to 12%.
To expedite the implementation of this policy, Apple specifically emphasized that developers do not need to sign any new terms before the March 15th effective date, at which time the system will automatically apply this new commission rate arrangement.
The official statement explicitly states: This is not merely a "business decision".
What's noteworthy is Apple's wording in the announcement. In its developer statement, Apple explicitly stated that this adjustment was a decision made "based on communication with Chinese regulators."
Although Apple did not provide further details about the negotiations behind the scenes, this straightforward statement clearly conveys to the outside world that this commission reduction is by no means a simple "normal business decision" or a proactive concession by Apple, but rather has a direct and strong causal relationship with actual regulatory pressure.
At the end of the announcement, Apple reiterated its commitment to the Chinese market, stating its dedication to making iOS and iPadOS the best ecosystem for Chinese developers, and promising to provide developers distributing apps in China with "competitive App Store rates that are no higher than the overall rates in other markets."
