26/09/2022 Apple Will Allow NFT Sales In Apps, But Will Apply 30% Commission Fees

Apple is insisting that NFT sales fall under their App Store commission structure, but not everyone is happy about it.

Apple is adding standardizing acceptance of NFT-based apps to be available on the Apple App Store. However, the company is including their standard 30% transaction fees for all transactions, a mechanism that many NFT firms argue is unreasonable and simply not feasible for their existence in the store.

Letā€™s take a look at why this is happening and what we can expect moving forward.

The App Storeā€™s Adjustment

In a report first unveiled by Aidan Ryan atThe Information, Apple has reportedly told startups that NFTs are permitted to be sold on apps listed in Appleā€™s App Store, but that all NFT sales must go through in-app purchases, which would be subject to Appleā€™s exorbitant fees. As Ryan aptly notes, this has forced young projects and platforms to limit functionality in-app in an effort to dodge those 30% fees ā€“ despite the fact that Apple plays no part in facilitating those transactions outside of accepting a respective appā€™s presence in the App Store.

Tech patent blogger FOSS Patents has noted thatactual costs to developers can actually oftentimes exceedthe 30% commission that is often cited when referencing the App Store; FOSS has argued that certain geographic areas are subject to fees that can be as high as roughly 35%, and be forced to pay for search ads. The Information founder Jessica Lessin shared a sentiment that was echoed by FOSS and comes as Appleā€™s commission fees face immense criticism: ā€œAre there whole segments of the new economy that arenā€™t going through the App Store?ā€

Apple (AAPL) price movement over the past month has been largely on par with the broader market. | Source: NASDAQ: AAPL on TradingView.com

Fees Fuel Debate

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney shared his thoughts on the matter ina tweeton Friday, describing App Store mechanics as a ā€œgrotesquely overpriced in-app payment service.ā€ Sweeney has had plenty of conflict around App Store commissions, as Epicā€™s flagship title ā€˜Fortniteā€™ was removed from the App Store after Epic sought to circumvent the aforementioned fee structure. Sweeney has long argued that Appleā€™s commission rates are not developer-friendly and leave little benefit for the growth of the industry.

Sweeney previously took a neutral stance around NFTs, but Epic has since shown an attitude that continues to be developer-first (whether that includes NFTs or not). Other critics have argued that this stance from Apple only bodes well for upcoming crypto-native competitors, such as the speculated ā€˜Solana mobileā€˜ project in the works.

Arts

https://bitcoinist.com/apple-will-allow-nft-sales-in-apps/amp/

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