On Thursday, digital technology company Yudu released what many consider to be a highly controversial new service tailored to developers and publishers of digital content made available through Apple’s App Store.
Based on the recently established policies of Apple’s new subscription guidelines, digital magazines and content publishers must share a 30% cut with Apple for purchases and subscriptions made through the App Store.
Yudu, which makes online publishing tools for companies looking to optimize their content for mobile platforms, has rolled out a new service designed to enable magazine publishers to avoid paying the 30 percent commission demanded by Apple.
According to a report from Reuters:
The new dual-subscriptions system from Yudu, whose customers include Reader’s Digest and Haymarket, allows users to download publications onto their Apple device through the App Store, even when the purchase is made directly from the publisher.
Incredibly, Yudu says Apple has given a green light to the new service because it is”compliant with its terms and conditions.”
For obvious reasons, many find that hard to believe, when considered with the recent extents to which Apple has gone to force compliance among publishers with its paid subscription and content distribution policies.
For the time being, Apple isn’t formally commenting to the media on the existence of Yudu’s new service.
