The Information reports that Twitter plans to charge a new $11 monthly subscription fee on iOS and $7 per month on the web for Twitter Blue. The price hike on iPhone is to offset the App Store in-app purchase commission.
After Elon Musk took over the microblogging company, he immediately paywalled the verification checkmark behind $8 per month Twitter Blue and the change did not go as planned. As several verified troll accounts changed their pictures and names to impersonate politicians, celebrities, and other public figures and Tweeted distastefully, the company paused the Blue service.
Following the disastrous implementation of the verification checkmark, Musk reported that Apple has significantly reduced advertising on Twitter and criticized App Store commission for all in-app purchases. He also claimed that the tech company was going to remove the app from its App Store because of its new “free speech” policy.
Although a meeting between Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook resolved all “misunderstandings” about the app’s removal, it did not push Apple to change its App Store policies. Now news of Twitter Blue’s revival is circulating with high cost on iOS.
Twitter Blue to relaunch with high cost on iOS and new changes to prevent impersonation
Apple charges 15% – 30% App Store commission from developers for all-in purchases. And to offset this fee, Twitter Blue is going to cost more on iOS.
The change in pricing is likely a reflection of the 30% cut that Apple takes on revenues from apps for iOS, its operating system for iPhones and iPads.
According to the report, Musk has informed employees that Twitter Blue will relaunch with different prices for iPhone and the web and new changes to prevent misuse of verification checkmarks for impersonation. The report did not mention the service’s price on Android.
The relaunch will include differently-colored badges denoting corporations, government accounts and individuals, as well as features that Twitter hopes will make it more difficult for Blue subscribers to impersonate others, according to a person briefed on the plans.
Prospective Twitter Blue subscribers will not be allowed to change their usernames within seven days before signing up for Blue, and Blue subscribers who change their usernames will temporarily lose their blue badge pending a manual review of the name change, employees were told. Users will also have to provide a phone number for existing and new Blue subscriptions and will not be able to sign up for Blue if their account is fewer than 90 days old.
