- Apple introduces new Mini Apps partner program
- Reduce app fees to 15%
- And apply some super app rules to web-based applets.
iPhone mini apps, those little apps that sit inside big apps to give you more features, content, fun, and purchasing options, are like a world unto themselves and don’t automatically follow the same rules as the big official apps that host them. However, Apple’s new changes, provided developers adopt them, will make living, working, and playing in these apps as recognizable and safe as using a regular app.
You may not be familiar with applets, even if you’ve been using them for a while. These are typically web-based HTML 5 or JavaScript environments accessed through traditional iOS apps like Roblox, Facebook, Discord, WeChat, and even ChatGPT. They can feature store-like experiences, games, or special content, and unlike a traditional app, they can change almost on the fly. There are no definitive figures on how many applets exist, but Apple reports that there are now almost two million apps in the App Store.
Traditional iPhone apps go through a rigorous vetting process and any major changes to the apps could result in them being blocked or removed from the App Store. In the past, mini apps have gotten around some of those rules, so Apple finally implemented some guidelines in 2017 for managing them, vetting them (developers provide metadata and URLs for mini apps), and accepting them. Those rules were updated at least once in 2024 (supporting in-app purchases for the first time), and now some bigger changes are coming as part of Apple’s App Store App Store Partner Program.
The first is that app developers who sign up will only be charged a 15% fee for transactions made within the mini app (although they will still potentially pay up to 30% for those made within the host or super app). The reduction could result in lower costs for you, the consumer, if the developer passes on the savings. They could also use the funds to create more app experiences, which is also a plus.
The new fee somewhat mirrors what Google Play already offers for applets, where applet experiences hosted within Android super apps can be charged commissions as low as 15%.
A safer space
There will now be better security controls in these applications. Developers who have age range information in their apps will see that information adopted within the mini app, meaning that the same age range rules that apply in the host app now also apply in mini app experiences. And if the mini app has age range requirements that differ from those of the host app, those who are prohibited from accessing certain apps will not be able to access the mini app if it is outside their age range.
Finally, consumers will see more details about their transaction activities in mini apps both during and after the purchase. So instead of applet purchases showing up as generically applied to the host app, the payment details will name the applet and exactly what was purchased in it.
So if there is a small store on Roblox called “Joe’s GoBlox” and it sells a particular digital tool, those details will be listed, including the name of the mini app store and the tool you purchased.
These new rules will apply to the iOS (iPhone) and iPadOS (iPad) app stores (in fact, apps that are not available on both platforms will not apply). To join the program, developers must support Apple’s Advanced Commerce API, Declared Age Rating API, Apple’s in-app purchasing system, and Submit Consumer Information.
That’s quite a lot for app developers. But consumers can now rest easy knowing that their experience within this growing list of mini-apps won’t feel like a disconnect. Plus, if developers save money on purchases, perhaps consumers will benefit too.
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