Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Steps Up Developer Program Charges in Europe

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s way of entering into the New Year might not be so appealing to the iOS and Mac Developer Programmers as the iPhone maker has raised its prices for the developer programs in some of the European countries. Apple has implemented the rise in charges quietly and so far the new prices could be fetched for the UK and Germany. As per the information available on the Apple’s website, program rates are up from €80/year to €99/year in Germany and have been increased from €60/year to €79/year in the UK.

Currency Fluctuations or Normal

Such rate increases are already made effective in the Germany and UK, while the rate of $99 per year remains as it is in the U.S. It could not be said if the price hike is on account of currency fluctuations or was imminent to adjust as per the current market price.

The developer programs offered by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) allow the developers to create and roll out apps on the company’s iOS App Store and Mac App Store. The developers also get access to the company’s tools like iOS and OS X releases other than this.

Tax Changed For European Nations

Based on the analysis of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s pricing patterns, it is seen that the company amends its product prices in line with the foreign currency fluctuations. The latest example is Apple’s recent pullback of its online sales in Russia following a steep fluctuation in the country’s currency. Moreover, Apple also adjusted the prices of apps on the Russian App Store.

Apple has already announced a change in the way it will tax European customers for purchasing products in the App Stores. Effective January 1, 2015, Apple has started charging European customers based on their home country taxes, unlike its earlier method of applying standard VAT across all the European nations.