After an eventful year, punctuated by numerous antitrust lawsuits, the App Store has just communicated revenues paid to application developers during the year 2021 : 60 billion dollars (equivalent to 53 billion euros). Another record year for the App Store.
230 billion euros paid to developers since 2008
In a press release broadcast on January 10, Apple said it paid nearly 260 billion dollars (230 billion euros) to application developers since the launch of the App Store in 2008. A figure that continues to climb each year. A way for the Apple brand to respond to the accusations of its detractors, Epic Games in mind. In 2021, the amount paid to developers of the App Store literally “exploded”. By comparison, at the end of 2019, Apple had paid “only” 155 billion dollars (137 billion euros) to application developers since the existence of the App Store.
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This increase can also be explained because Apple reduced its tax from 30 to 15% for small developers. Since November 2020, App Store application developers who earn less than $ 1 million in annual revenue have seen their revenues increase thanks to the drop in this tax. A decision following the opening of an investigation by the European Union on this subject for anti-competitive practice. In 2021, Apple also removed app commissions from certain news publishers if they chose to participate in its Apple News Partner program.
Towards the end of taxes on in-app purchases?
Without specifying how many developers had been able to take advantage of the tax cuts, Apple explains that a “large majority” of applications could now benefit from the reduction granted to small businesses. The Cupertino company clarified that App Store customers had spent “more than ever” between Christmas Eve and New Year 2021, which resulted in a double-digit growth compared to last year… Without giving a precise figure like last year. Period in which $ 1.8 billion was spent in the week between Christmas Eve and New Years 2020, largely thanks to games.
In some markets, such as Japan and South Korea, regulators have pushed Apple to allow links to external websites, with the aim of slowing down the commissions collected by the American giant. Similar decisions could be taken in the European Union and the United States in the coming years. Along with the figures for the App Store, Apple also unveiled several updates about the following services : Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness +, Apple Music, Apple TV +, Apple News +, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, Apple Pay and Wallet, Apple Maps and iCloud +.