iOS App Stores Hike Prices Amid Brexit Fallout

By Ghada Ibrahim | Jan 18, 2017 01:58 PM EST

Although it has been a while since the Brexit incident, the effects of the movement are still dominant. One of the major changes that took place due to Great Britain's decision to exit the European Union was the price hike in the UK iOS App Store.

According to the The Guardian, the increase in prices was arranged by Apple due to the devaluation of the Pound Sterling since the Brexit vote in June. The increase in prices is a full 25 percent.

The value of the Pound Sterling currency dropped to a decade low after the controversial referendum in the summer of 2016. The currency fell 16 percent by October against the US Dollar and in the time after it has been struggling ever since.

Although that might be great news for the US tourists flocking to the United Kingdom, it comes as bad news for the Candy Crush fanatics who are trying to finish the next level or for those who wish to get fit come New Year. The new terms and conditions state that apps priced at 99 cents in the US and an equivalent of 79 pence in the UK are not priced at 99 pence for Mac and iOS users.

These changes will be applied to the digital iTunes and iBooks stores of Apple and similar price hikes are expected to appear in countries like Turkey and India. The Apple Company is already facing lawsuits regarding their monopolization of the market and the high price tags on their products.

This is not the only incident marking the effects of the Brexit blowback. In October, prices of all computers across Britain, old and new, were raised by Cupertino.

In a statement to PCMag, Apple cleared out the confusion and 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." The company further added that "these factors vary from region to region and over time.

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