Amazon Prime allows in-app purchases for Apple users

Amazon has begun allowing iPhone and Apple TV users to make in-app purchases and rent movies and shows from Amazon Prime.

The move is a reversal for Amazon which had forced Prime users to leave the app and go to Amazon’s website via a browser to make purchases.

Leaving the app allowed Amazon to avoid a 30% charge Apple places on in-app purchases on its operating systems.

The changes apply to Amazon Prime users in the US, UK and Germany.

People using iPhones, iPads and iPod touches as well as Apple TVs began to see the changes on Wednesday.

A message from Amazon alerted users to the new feature when they opened the app.

“Browse, rent, or buy new release movies, popular TV shows, and more – now within the app,” it read.

Prior to the change users of iOS or tvOS could only watch shows or films they had purchased directly from Amazon’s website or on another device such as an Android phone or Amazon’s Fire TV. If an Apple user wanted to buy a video from Prime they had to complete the transaction on Amazon’s website.

Apple typically takes a 30% cut of in-app purchases on its devices. Amazon would not say if it will pay that fee but the costs of videos on its Prime app appeared to remain the same as on its website.

Other companies have argued Apple’s 30% charges are unfair

Spotify filed a complaint with the European regulators about the charge. The music streaming site referred to the 30% fee as a tax and said it would be forced to artificially inflate its prices as a result.