Apple to introduce an industry-leading new developer program to encourage innovation and support small businesses and independent developers to boost their businesses with the next generation of groundbreaking apps on the App Store.

The new App Store Small Business Program is expected to benefit numerous developers who sell digital goods and services on the store, as it would provide them with the minimal commission on paid apps and in-app purchases. The developers would be qualified for the program and get a reduced 15 percent commission if they earned about $1million in proceeds during the previous calendar year.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple says, “Small businesses are the backbone of our global economy and the beating heart of innovation and opportunity in communities around the world. We’re launching this program to help small business owners write the next chapter of creativity and prosperity on the App Store, and to build the kind of quality apps our customers love.” He continues, “The App Store has been an engine of economic growth like none other, creating millions of new jobs and a pathway to entrepreneurship accessible to anyone with a great idea. Our new program carries that progress forward — helping developers fund their small businesses, take risks on new ideas, expand their teams, and continue to make apps that enrich people’s lives.”

The App Store Small Business Program is expected to launch on January 1, 2021, and this is a crucial time as small and independent developers continue to work on innovation that thrives in this period of unprecedented global economic challenges.

To be part of this program, there are certain participation criteria set such as the existing developers who have made up to $1 million in 2020 for all their apps, and developers new to the App Store would be eligible for the program and the reduced commission. If a participating developer exceeds the $1 million thresholds they would be charged a standard commission rate for the remainder of the year.

So far the developers of all sizes have built successful businesses while availing the support provided by App Store’s global reach encompassing users of the more than 1.5 billion Apple devices around the world in 175 countries and over 40 languages, with more than 180 local payment methods and 45 accepted currencies.

The new App Store Small Business Program is expected to build on that and advance to produce several other digital commerce and app innovations, help small and independent developers support new jobs and continue to bring great software to Apple users.