Apple are hiking iTunes and App Store prices nearly 25% because of Brexit

17 January 2017, 12:17 | Written by Laurence Day

(News)

Apple are set to raise the prices of music and apps in the UK in response to the continued economic instability following the Brexit vote.

Apple have already raised the price of their hardware to combat the UK's plummeting pound, but now the corporation is planning further rises.

Mac and iOS apps on the UK App Store will rise 25%-ish - basically lifting them up a pay tier, removing the lowest (79p). A £1.49 app will now cost £1.99, for example - this will bring the UK store in line with the US one.

The news was revealed to app developers today - Apple told devs that "when foreign exchange rates or taxation changes, we sometimes need to update prices on the App Store."

Apple also revealed that the price changes will begin over the coming week. The iTunes store (both music and videos) and the iBooks store are both expected to follow suit in the near future, but subscriptions are believed to be remaining at current rates.

Apple's digital stores in India and Turkey are also set to be hit with price hikes. In a statement, the tech giant said: "Price tiers on the App Store are set internationally on the basis of several factors, including currency exchange rates, business practices, taxes and the cost of doing business. These factors vary from region to region and over time."

Since the UK voted to leave the EU last June, the pound has slumped 18.5% against the US dollar.

[via The Guardian]