You May Lose Access to Your Netflix Account if You’re Paying Through Apple
In a recent move, Netflix has advised its customers who pay for their streaming subscription through Apple’s App Store to switch their payment method to avoid potential disruptions in service.
The streaming giant announced the policy change, indicating that members billed through Apple’s platform may soon receive prompts to update their payment information directly through Netflix’s website. Failure to switch payment methods before the monthly subscription renewal date could result in the suspension of their Netflix accounts until a new payment method is added.
According to a Netflix spokesperson, the policy adjustment primarily impacts users on the basic plan in countries like the United States and Canada.
This decision by Netflix comes amid ongoing tensions between Apple and app developers over the tech giant’s App Store policies, particularly its 30% commission on in-app purchases. While Apple has made some concessions, allowing certain apps like Netflix and Spotify to direct users to external payment methods, the streaming service ceased accepting Apple payments for new and rejoining customers back in 2018.
However, this latest move by Netflix affects existing customers who were previously grandfathered into paying through Apple’s platform, requiring them to transition to alternative payment methods.
Apple’s in-app purchase fees have been a point of contention within the developer community for years, culminating in legal challenges such as the lawsuit brought forth by Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite. Despite Apple’s recent setbacks in court, including a Supreme Court decision allowing developers more freedom in directing users to alternative payment channels, tensions between the tech giant and app developers continue to simmer.
