As currencies fall against the strong US dollar, Apple says it would raise App Store pricing in Europe and several Asian nations next month. Starting on October 5th, the price hikes will apply to both in-app purchases and ordinary applications on the App Store.
The price increases will impact all nations that use the Euro, as well as Sweden, South Korea, Chile, Egypt, Malaysia, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Japan. Except for Montenegro, all Euro markets will see the basic €0.99 app fee increase to €1.19 next month, a 20% increase. In Japan, the increases are more than 30%, as the yen falls to a fresh 24-year low versus the US dollar.
Apple hasn’t explained why prices are increasing, but with the euro and yen suffering against a strong dollar, it’s evident that currency swings are to blame, which have been impacted by inflation and growing energy costs. According to reports, Apple modifies its Software Store pricing for currency fluctuations on a regular basis and actually decreased the initial €1.09 app price to €0.99 last year.
The App Store pricing adjustments come only a few weeks after Apple boosted the cost of its new iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 models in a number of locations outside the United States. In the UK, the iPhone 14 now begins at £849, while the iPhone 13 began at £779 last year. In Ireland, the price of an iPhone has risen from €909 to €1,019, and comparable price increases can be observed across Europe. Analysts attribute the price rises to the same cause: the strong US dollar.
