Apple to Introduce In-app Third-party Payment in June

Apple will introduce an in-app third-party payment system in June, in accordance with the related law that bans app store operators from requiring developers to only use their own in-app payment systems.

Apple's new billing system is similar to the one Google introduced in December 2021, causing controversy. For developers who use the third-party payment system, Apple will charge a commission of 26 percent, 4 percentage points lower than that applied to users of its own in-app payment system.

Apple recently submitted an implementation plan to the Korea Communications Commission (KCC).

Earlier, in January 2022, Apple told the KCC that it would introduce a third-party payment system and lower fees, without mentioning a specific fee rate or application period.

However, Apple did not refer to outlinks in its implementation plan. Google notified app developers to delete outlinks in apps that lead to external payments. It warned that developers' apps would be kicked out from the Google Play Store if outlinks are not deleted by June 1.

The KCC said that Google’s measure could constitute a violation of the ban on forced in-app payments.