iTunes

Apple clarifies only in-app commissions have dropped to 2.5 percent

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 4, 2017

Apple has clarified in an email communique by its iTunes Affiliate Support team that the recently reduced affiliate rates which went into effect May 1 only apply to in-app content, not to apps linked on websites and other outlets.

The company announced a policy change last month, saying commission rates for apps and in-app content would drop from seven to just 2.5 percent. The firm now clarifies that the change applies only to affiliate links used inside apps, not the ones on websites like iDB.

“Please note that only in-app commissions have changed,” reads the message from iTunes Affiliate Support. Here are the correct new app commission levels, according to Apple itself:

iOS apps commissions: 7 percent In-app iOS commissions: 2.5 percent Mac apps commissions: 7 percent In-app macOS commissions: 2.5 percent

Several website owners and bloggers linking to App Store and Mac App Store apps have reported that the seven percent commission for apps has in fact remained unchanged.

MacGamerHQ provides the following screenshots of Apple's email to iTunes Affiliate members.

Apple originally said about two weeks ago that beginning May 1, 2017 commissions for all apps and in-app content would get slashed from seven percent to just 2.5 percent globally. The poor wording of the message has been blamed for the misunderstanding.

“We will also continue to pay affiliate commissions on Apple Music memberships so there are many ways to earn commissions with the program,” Apple said two weeks ago.

Aside from slashing commissions for in-app content, items like music, movies, books and TV subscriptions remain subjected to the seven percent commission rate across all markets.

iTunes Affiliate Program lets website owners and developers claim a small percentage of the proceeds from linked apps and content.

The company's Affiliate Resources webpage offers a Getting Started guide on becoming an affiliate partner, an updated Program Overview section providing information on the commission raters, reporting, creating links and other useful resources.

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Apple to cut affiliate commission on apps and in-app content to 2.5 percent

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 24, 2017

As first noted by Contrast founder David Barnard, Apple just slashed the affiliate commission on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac apps and In-App Purchases from the previous seven percent rate down to 2.5 percent globally.

“Beginning May 1, 2017, commissions for all apps and in-app content will be reduced from seven percent to 2.5 percent globally,” Apple told iTunes Affiliate Program members via email.

All other iTunes content types, including music, movies, electronic books and TV subscriptions, shall remain at the current seven percent commission rate in all markets.

“We will also continue to pay affiliate commissions on Apple Music memberships so there are many ways to earn commissions with the program,” reads Apple's message.

Apple's Affiliate Resources webpage has received a facelift with optimized navigation, a new Getting Started guide on becoming an affiliate partner, an updated Program Overview section providing information on the commission raters, reporting, creating links and more.

Source: David Barnard on Twitter via MacRumors

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Revised version of iTunes 12.6 removes non-functional “Show on Profile Page” toggle

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 24, 2017

iTunes 12.6 was released alongside a slew of Apple product refreshes three days ago, bringing the ability to watch iTunes movies rented in the app on your other devices, and vice versa. Interestingly, the app shipped with a new Show on Profile Page toggle that a Reddit user discovered on the Playlist Edit page. Late yesterday, Apple issued a revised build of iTunes which, as first spotted by MacRumors, removes that option.

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Speed up or slow down iTunes playback for podcasts, audiobooks, and music with Speed-Up

Steffen Reich ∙ March 24, 2017

Still enjoying iTunes despite the beautiful mess it has become on macOS? If the answer is yes, perhaps listen up for this one. Every once in a while, seemingly low-key and low-price apps pop up in the market, claiming to have identified an imperfection or gap in Apple’s software, and in the next breath promising the fix for it. Some of these apps are superfluous to the user for the simple reason that the touted feature is already in place in Apple’s mothership software (in some shape or form), other apps are gimmicky or overly flawed.

Speed-Up for Mac firmly sits in the opposite camp, the one where ostensibly small apps are extremely wholesome and deliver on the promised goods. So what does it promise you ask? Put simply, to speed up or slow down your iTunes playback, an option otherwise notably absent on macOS. If this sounds surprisingly succinct or sober to you, that’s because it is.

Speed-Up treasures simplicity over bells & whistles, and is probably worth a look if you have ever caught yourself wishing for a speed lever in the thick of an Audiobook or Podcast session on your MacBook.

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iTunes carrier billing now available in Italy, Singapore and Austria

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 1, 2017

Customers in Italy, Singapore and Austria who lack a credit or debit card can now take advantage of carrier billing on iTunes to have app and media purchases made on Apple's content stores (including Apple Music subscriptions) billed directly to a monthly mobile phone bill from their carrier.

As per Apple, carrier billing's been enabled for select carriers—in Austria for Drei customers, Italy for Three customers and Singapore for M1 Limited users.

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How to downgrade (or update) to iOS 10.2

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ Updated April 25, 2019

We recently covered the release of Luca Todesco's first build of yalu102. This tool will eventually allow all 64-bit devices to jailbreak iOS 10. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be able to use it on iOS 10.0-10.1.1, all other 64-bit devices will be able to use it on iOS 10.0-10.2.

As the signing window for iOS 10.2 could close at any time, the pressure is on to downgrade to iOS 10.2 if you are currently on a higher firmware. Some people on a lower firmware should also upgrade to iOS 10.2, but not everyone. In this guide, we'll talk you through how to upgrade/downgrade to iOS 10.2 from a lower/higher firmware, if you are one of the people who should be there.

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Amazon and Apple end Audible exclusivity deal to avoid antitrust probe by German government

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 19, 2017

Quietly announced two weeks ago following discussions with both the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office, Apple and Amazon have decided to end their deal which made Amazon-owned Audible an exclusive provider of audiobooks for iTunes.

According to a Reuters report Thursday, the move puts an end to antitrust complaints by the German government and is likely to boost competition.

The agreement had been in place for over a decade, since 2003.

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Apple’s new TV app doesn’t like ripped DVDs, here are some workarounds

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 17, 2017

Apple's new TV app on iOS 10.2 struggles to play videos that have been ripped from DVDs and other sources and loaded into iTunes for Mac. It’s unclear whether this is a simple bug, but that didn't stop people from flocking to Apple’s Support Communities forum to express their disdain for the app.

The TV app has replaced the old and mostly useless Videos app.

Thankfully, dedicated apps let you easily play non-iOS-friendly media on iPhone, like FireCore's versatile Infuse video player. Handbrake for Mac, which recently exited beta after 13 years, packs in a comprehensive set of tools for easy video conversion with handy presets for turning ripped DVDs into an iPhone-compatible format.

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