Apple extends the deadline to update in-app purchases for apps offering virtual group events

Apple has again extended its deadline for developers to update in-app purchases for paid online group events on the App Store. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Apple announced a deadline extension to December 31, 2021.

Apple first introduced the rule back in September 2020 and declared it to be effective immediately. It pushed the deadline to December 2020 as few companies demanded the policy implementation to be delayed. But again, Apple extended the deadline till June of 2021. And now, December 2021.

Last year, to support apps that adapted services from in-person to digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we temporarily deferred the requirement to offer paid online group event services (one-to-few and one-to-many realtime services) through in-app purchase in accordance with App Store Review Guideline 3.1.1. As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, we’d like to support the communities that are still providing digital services in place of in-person group events by extending the deadline further to December 31, 2021.

via / MacRumors

After the rule is implied, any app offering paid virtual events through App Store will need to use in-app purchases and pay Apple 30 or 15 percent commission. Apps hosting real-world events don’t need to worry about the fee as Apple takes a cut down from events that are hosted virtually.