Disney+ and Hulu (in the US) are the latest streaming apps to disrupt the traditional method of subscribing via the In-App system of the Apple App Store to avoid paying fees to the platform.
As a result of this change, new users must now create an account through an external website, as direct subscription through the app is no longer possible. Existing users who have already subscribed through the In-App system can continue to make payments through the same channel.
Disney+ is now the latest streaming app to follow in the footsteps of others like Netflix or Spotify, which do not offer In-App subscription options without violating the rules of the App Store. This is because Apple amended the details in 2022 to classify these apps as Reader apps, allowing them to include external links for subscription without incurring a percentage fee.
Currently, the fees deducted from developers by the App Store stand at 30%, but there are special cases where Apple offers discounts. In the case of Disney+, the fee is reduced to 15% as they are part of Apple’s Video Partner Program.
TLDR: Disney+ and Hulu have shifted away from In-App subscriptions on the Apple App Store to avoid fees, requiring users to sign up through external websites. Disney+ now follows the model of other streaming apps by not offering direct In-App subscriptions, with Apple making exceptions and reducing fees for certain programs.
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