News Publishers Seek Same Apple App Store Deal Amazon Gets
News industry trade advocate Digital Content Next sent an open letter addressed to Apple (AAPL) - Get Apple Inc. (AAPL) Report CEO Tim Cook, asking for more clarity on the company's App Store policies.
The group, which represents the New York Times, The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and other publishers, specifically called out Apple's deal with Amazon (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report, which offers the company a 15% fee on customer subscriptions for its Prime Video app via the App store as opposed to the 30% fee other companies pay for first-time subscriptions.
"We would like to know what conditions our members -- high quality digital content companies -- would need to meet in order to qualify for the arrangement Amazon is receiving for its Amazon Prime Video app in the Apple App Store," Jason Kint, CEO of DCN wrote in his letter.
The letter is a response to a line of questioning from last month's House Judiciary Committee hearing on big tech companies where Cook was asked whether the arrangement with Amazon was available to any app developers.
TheStreet Recommends
Cook responded to the question from Rep. Hank Johnson by saying that the deal is available to "anyone meeting the conditions."
The group is looking for more clarity and that Apple "define the conditions that Amazon satisfied for its arrangement so that DCN's member companies meeting those conditions can be offered the same arrangement."
Apple's App Store policies have come into the spotlight in recent weeks after the company removed popular video game Fortnite from its App Store after the game introduced new direct payment options for in-game purchases that circumvented Apple's commission.
Epic Games, Fortnite's publisher, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Northern California accusing Apple of anti-competitive practices with its App Store, and asking for injunctive relief to allow fair competition.
Apple and Amazon are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS member club. Want to be alerted before Jim Cramer buys or sells these stocks? Learn more now.
