In September, Apple changed its App Store rules regarding in-app purchases for apps that offer virtual events. Originally, Apple wanted developers to comply with this regulation by the end of this year but has pushed it back to June 30, 2021.
The rules mention how apps that offer person to person experiences allow other purchase methods, but when it comes to group experiences it must be offered in-app. Examples include one to one fitness training sessions, real estate tours, medical consultation, tutoring and others.
Anything outside person to person, e.g., one to many or one to few events must use the App Store’s in-app purchase platform. The Cupertino-based company updated its stance when services were forced to be held in virtual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Initially, Airbnb and ClassPass resisted on the ruling but Apple has tweaked the in-app purchase to cover only group events and not person to person experiences. They will have until June next year to comply with the new requirements.
