Apple tax

English Etymology Referring to American technology company Apple Inc., specifically the high price of its high-end computers (sense 1) and its Apple ecosystem mobile ecosystem (sense 2). Pronunciation en En-au-Apple tax.ogg AU Noun en informal derogatory The price paid by people purchasing Apple products, said to be higher than that of comparable alternatives. en https://www.computerworld.com/article/2481513/how-much-does-the--apple-tax--really-cost-.html Computerworld Microsoft has been warning about the so-called "Apple tax" that people pay for buying Macs. Their newest claim: A family of four will pay $3,367 over five years if they buy Macs instead of PCs, not just for the initial machines, but in ongoing costs hardware and software costs. How much does the "Apple Tax" really cost? 2009-04-09 Preston Gralla https://web.archive.org/web/20221105042830/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2481513/how-much-does-the--apple-tax--really-cost-.html 5 November 2022 en https://www.pcmag.com/news/hands-on-with-the-2018-apple-macbook-air PCMag You'll want to buy what you need and no more, as there is a definite Apple-tax premium here. Hands On With the 2018 Apple MacBook Air 2018-10-30 John Burek https://web.archive.org/web/20251101165113/https://www.pcmag.com/news/hands-on-with-the-2018-apple-macbook-air 1 November 2025 en https://thenextweb.com/news/apple-october-18-2021-event TNW As a Windows guy, I feel like I’m living in a bizarro world, where the 'Apple Tax' actually gets you more ports and better performance than you can find on most comparable Windows machines, not just an alternative OS and cool design. M1X MacBook Pro event: What to expect from Apple on October 18 2021-10-13 Napier Lopez https://web.archive.org/web/20260811070736/https://thenextweb.com/news/apple-october-18-2021-event 11 August 2026 en informal derogatory The commission taken by Apple on purchases on its online services, such as the App Store and iTunes. en https://venturebeat.com/media/music-wars-ramping-up-spotify-invites-subscribers-to-avoid-30-apple-tax/ VentureBeat (title) Spotify snubs Apple, invites subscribers to avoid 30% 'Apple Tax' 2015-07-08 Mark Sullivan https://web.archive.org/web/20230320150833/https://venturebeat.com/media/music-wars-ramping-up-spotify-invites-subscribers-to-avoid-30-apple-tax/ 20 March 2023 en https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/3/21206400/apple-tax-amazon-tv-prime-30-percent-developers The Verge Epic's CEO Tim Sweeney has been incredibly outspoken about App Store taxes. He’s taken Fortnite off the Google Play Store and would dearly love to find a way to not have to give Apple a cut on iOS devices. Does he have a personal stake in that fight? Obviously. But he's also one of a growing chorus of voices pushing back against the so-called "Apple Tax." Why Amazon got out of the Apple App Store tax, and why other developers won’t 2020-04-03 Dieter Bohn https://web.archive.org/web/20261001151734/https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/3/21206400/apple-tax-amazon-tv-prime-30-percent-developers 1 October 2026 en https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/opinion/apple-app-store-fortnite-lawsuit.html New York Times Call this scourge what it plainly is, the Apple tax — the billions of dollars a year that Apple collects from large swaths of the technology industry for the privilege of offering paid apps and in-app purchases to iPhone and iPad users. The Apple Tax Is Rotten 2021-05-26 Farhad Manjoo https://web.archive.org/web/20250702001744/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/opinion/apple-app-store-fortnite-lawsuit.html 2 July 2025 en https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1023834758/apple-app-store-epic-games-fortnite-verdict NPR The decision by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is the most significant strike yet against the system that includes Apple's commission, something critics call "the Apple tax." It could force the tech giant to revamp its entire business model for apps on iPhones and iPads. A Judge Rules Apple Must Make It Easier To Shop Outside The App Store 2021-09-10 Bobby Allyn https://web.archive.org/web/20260630220859/https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1023834758/apple-app-store-epic-games-fortnite-verdict 30 June 2026 Translations commission on Apple Store Chinese: cmn 蘋果稅 See also en iPod tax en Apple Inc.