Is Apple testing the ability to raise subscription prices without user consent?



On the iPhone, a dialog was displayed when the price of the subscription service went up, allowing you to choose to accept the new price or unsubscribe. However, I've found that there are cases where changes have been made to this dialog that only notify the user of the price increase and do not offer the option to unsubscribe.

Apple pilot tests feature that allows developers to automatically charge users for subscription price increases | TechCrunch

https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/05/apple-pilot-tests-feature-that-allows-developers-to-automatically-charge-users-for-subscription-price-increases/

Apple piloting subscription price increase feature --Protocol
https://www.protocol.com/bulletins/apple-disney-subscription-price-increases

Apple May Soon Let Apps Charge Higher Prices Without Asking First
https://www.slashgear.com/823062/apple-may-soon-let-apps-charge-higher-prices-without-asking-first/

Max Seelemann, co-founder of Ulysses, a text editor app for iOS, tweeted a screenshot that the dialog displayed in the Disney + price increase announcement had only an 'OK' button. I asked, 'Will anyone have this new behavior? Or just Disney +?'



Strictly speaking, there is a small 'To learn more or cancel, review your subscription' written above the OK button, and tapping 'review your subscription' will take you to the subscription management screen and you can cancel it. .. However, this is a 'dark pattern' that deliberately deceives users, and states in the United States are enacting legislation that does not allow consent obtained in this way.

Introducing a new law that does not accept the consent obtained in the 'dark pattern' that guides users --GIGAZINE



Seelemann confirmed the email and found that the Disney + subscription 'can be used from March 19th for a monthly fee of 8.99 euros (about 1200 yen)' and automatically switched to the new rate. It was said that it was.

iOS app developer David Barnard investigated Seelemann's question, 'Is this dialog available to all developers?' I tried various things with my friends, but it seems that I could only set the dialog to press the 'Agree to New Price' button or select 'Manage Subscription'. 'Access to the Apple Developer Program and App Store is designed to be fair to all developers, regardless of size or influence,' Barnard tweeted. increase.



Apple didn't respond to Seelemann's and Barnard's tweets, but the IT news site TechCrunch asked, 'Why is there another system that doesn't comply with in-app purchase behavior?' In response to the question, 'We are in the trial operation of a new commercial transaction function that will be released soon.' However, I declined to answer the details.

News site Protocol is trying to regain support with this measure, as Apple is displeasing developers with the so-called 'Apple tax,' which charges a 30% commission from sales on the App Store. It shows the speculation that it may be.

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in Software, Posted by logc_nt