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Apple just made iOS apps pricier in the EU and beyond

If you frequent Apple’s App Store on the regular, you may have noticed that things got a little bit pricier over the past week, but why?

Chances are, where available you’ll pick up all the free apps you can, provided they fit your needs, however every now and then you’ll have to cross the threshold and lay down a few pennies or pounds to pick up something more specialised; whether that’s a high quality 3D game, a media streaming app or perhaps you’ve finally decided to start editing on-the-go with Apple’s mobile revision of iMovie.

Whatever paid app you’re laying down cash for, Apple’s just raised prices for apps on App Stores throughout the EU, in Norway and Canada, as well as unknown making ‘changes’ to prices in Russia (no additional detail has been given on what that meant). Whilst the price hike isn’t outlandish (the cheapest paid apps go for 79 pence on the UK App Store, rather than the previous price of 69p), nobody likes paying more for the same thing.

A copy of the letter Apple sent to developers. Republished by AppleInsider.
A copy of the letter Apple sent to developers regarding the price changes. Republished by AppleInsider

The price increase isn’t unfounded though; Apple emailed its developers last Wednesday, notifying them of the forthcoming increases, explaining that changes in VAT (value-added tax) rates and foreign exchange rates would push prices up. Within the EU an increase of 6.5 per cent on digital goods came into effect as of January 1st, serving as the primary contributing factor, whilst a drop in the value of the Canadian Dollar had an effect on that market (the minimum paid app price in Canada now sits at $1.19).

This isn’t the first time Apple has changed the price of apps and content based on market fluctuations and in some markets, including Iceland, prices actually dropped. The last major change took place back in 2011 following a need to narrow the gap in pricing of app between various markets internationally. Minor changes occurred as recently as last March.

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