The company said apps are allowed to list, mint, and transfer, and let users view their own NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). However, the ownership of NFTs shouldn’t unlock any more features within the app. Plus, these apps can let users browse other collections but they shouldn’t show external links, buttons, or call to action to purchase NFTs. Users can only purchase NFTs through Apple’s in-app payment system.
The company is also prohibiting apps to use other mechanisms such as QR codes or cryptocurrencies to give special access to users.
“Apps may not use their own mechanisms to unlock content or functionality, such as license keys, augmented reality markers, QR codes, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency wallets, etc,” it said.
The company is also cracking down on cryptocurrency exchanges as it now mandates them to have “appropriate licensing and permissions to provide a cryptocurrency exchange” in all regions they operate in. So Apple now has the power to remove a crypto exchange from a local App Store if it deems the app to be illegal for that region.
With new App Store rules, Apple said that marketers don’t need to use in-app purchases to manage and purchase campaigns across different media types like TV, apps, and outdoors. However, they will have to use Apple’s in-app purchase system to buy boosts for social media posts— this would only apply to apps offering in-app tools for promoting posts. That means Apple will take a cut out of those sales, which might result in platforms hiking boost fees.
This could impact companies like Meta, TikTok, and Tinder, which offer in-app boosts.
Apple cracks down on NFT functionality, social post boosts with App Store rules by Ivan Mehta originally published on TechCrunch
