YouTube TV to end in-app purchases by iPhone, iPad users next month

Apple device users can now subscribe to the service via web browser at a lower rate

YouTube TV has decided to not split its subscription revenue with Apple. The American streaming TV has already stopped accepting new sign-ups through in-app subscriptions on the iPhone and iPad.

It has emailed users who subscribed through Apple devices, saying it will “phase out support for in-app payments altogether in March”. Apple device owners will have to subscribe to YouTube TV via a web browser, The Verge reported.

Revenue share

YouTube TV has decided to risk losing viewers rather than pay Apple a share of its monthly subscription, the report added. The email, quoted by The Verge, read: “You’ll be billed for one final month of service and then your in-app purchase subscription will be cancelled automatically on your billing date after March 13th, 2020.”

The move comes as a relief to YouTube TV subscribers, as they will be asked to pay comparatively less -- $49.99 rather than the earlier fee of $54.99 -- the Verge report said.

Apple demands a 70:30 split in the subscription revenue for the first year if the user goes for in-app purchases. In succeeding years, it claims 15 per cent of the revenue.

An increasing number of popular online services, including Spotify, have stopped entertaining in-app purchases. However, Spotify allows existing customers to pay through Apple.

Others, such as Sling TV and Hulu with Live TV, do not provide the option of in-app subscriptions. Hulu only provides this option for its regular on-demand service, the Verge report added.