NetEase responds to Apple reducing commissions: a win-win for platforms and developers

Phoenix Network Technology News, March 13 — Apple Inc. has issued an announcement to reduce its commission rates. According to communication with China’s regulatory authorities, effective March 15, 2026, the commission rates for iOS and iPadOS apps on the App Store in mainland China (the mainland) will be adjusted. The standard commission rate for in-app purchases and paid apps on the Apple App Store will be reduced from the current 30% to 25%.

In response, NetEase said: This adjustment to the commission policy is not only conducive to promoting a virtuous cycle in the industry and achieving a win-win situation for both platforms and developers, but also carries long-term and constructive significance for the prosperity of the ecosystem of China’s mobile internet applications (600941).

Earlier, Tencent released a statement saying: Apple has adjusted its App Store commission policy for the China region, which has thrilled the industry.

According to media reports, for a long time, Apple has charged developers commissions through its app store and in-app payment services, which are commonly referred to in the industry as the “Apple tax.” Whether users purchase paid apps or recharge, buy virtual goods and services within free apps, Apple will extract a corresponding share.

Taking live-streaming tipping as an example, if you recharge 10 yuan, Android users can receive 100 virtual diamonds, while iOS users often only get 70, with the remaining portion taken by Apple; this model is also regarded by outsiders as “gullible exploitation.”

Meanwhile, the reduction of the Apple tax will bring direct benefits to both developers and consumers. For developers, lowering the share rate will significantly expand profit margins. Based on estimates, this fee-rate adjustment will reduce cost expenditures by more than 6 billion yuan each year for 5 million developers in China, helping domestic companies participate more fairly in international competition. For consumers, the long-standing premium on digital goods and services on the iOS side is expected to be gradually eliminated, and prices in scenarios such as membership subscriptions, game recharges, live-streaming tipping, and mini program payments may decline.