Apple has announced that an update is being pushed to the App Store, in response to the investigation held by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). The upcoming update will allow users to set-up and manage their accounts in “reader” apps which was previously not available. The change will apply to all apps falling in the categories of video, music, audio, books, newspapers, digital magazines, previously purchased content or any other types of content subscriptions.
The change will impact users who use apps such as Netflix which at the moment does not work unless the user has subscribed to the service from a different device or through the web browser. The upcoming update will now allow apps like Netflix to offer a single link inside the app which will redirect users to a web page to set-up their account, make payment, or any other tasks. The link inside a reader app could be for any task but Apple will allow developers to add only one link.
Update will be pushed out in early 2022
“Trust on the App Store is everything to us. The focus of the App Store is always to create a safe and secure experience for users, while helping them find and use great apps on the devices they love,” said Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow who oversees the App Store. “We have great respect for the Japan Fair Trade Commission and appreciate the work we’ve done together, which will help developers of reader apps make it easier for users to set up and manage their apps and services, while protecting their privacy and maintaining their trust.”
The update to the App Store will be pushed out in early 2022, reports Apple. However, before the actual update, the company will update its guidelines and review process of ‘reader’ apps to make sure that they offer a safe experience to the users.