App Store and iTunes Prices in UK May Increase Up to 20%

appstore.jpgApple's iTunes and App Store downloads may see a price increase next year when new UK laws take effect.

The Guardian reports that the most recently introduced budget closes a loophole that allowed digital downloads to avoid UK taxes.

The budget document said: "As announced at budget 2013, the government will legislate to change the rules for the taxation of intra-EU business to consumer supplies of telecommunications, broadcasting and e-services. From 1 January 2015 these services will be taxed in the member state in which the consumer is located, ensuring these are taxed fairly and helping to protect revenue."

Digital download retailers such as Apple and Amazon presently avoid the UK's 20% VAT by selling from countries such as Luxembourg where the tax rate is only 3%-15%. Under the new law, downloads to UK customers will be taxed at the higher 20% rate. Apps may be least affected as they are presently taxed at the higher range of 15%.

The change appears to affect all digital downloads including music, apps, and e-books, and will take effect on January 1, 2015.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
samsung crease less foldable display ces 2026%402x

Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

Tuesday January 6, 2026 3:04 am PST by
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison. The ...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
AirPods Pro 3 Year of the Horse Feature

Apple Launches Year of the Horse AirPods Pro 3 for Lunar New Year

Monday January 5, 2026 11:28 am PST by
Apple has designed a limited edition version of the AirPods Pro 3 to celebrate Lunar New Year, and customers in select countries can purchase them starting today. The Year of the Horse Special Edition AirPods Pro 3 feature a unique horse emoji character that's otherwise unavailable. Customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore are able to buy the AirPods, and they'll be...

Top Rated Comments

Cali Fornia Avatar
154 months ago
Apple should simply ****ing absorb the VAT. It's not as if they did not already profit enough from those tax leaks and make quite some money anyway.

You wanna make money in a certain country? Pay this country's taxes.
Just ridiculous to pay taxes in Luxembourg or Ireland but sell goods and services in a completely different country?
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shrink Avatar
154 months ago
The UK is such a joke.

Since I assume that you have lived in the UK (currently, or at some time) for some considerable period of time (otherwise the post would be...ah...ill considered), could you expand on the comment and explain why the UK is a joke.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goodcow Avatar
154 months ago
The UK is such a joke.

No, the US healthcare system is a joke. Things like the VAT support the NHS.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fredaroony Avatar
154 months ago
Don't matter to me, I live in the U.S. Sorry UK

You just get to go bankrupt if you get health problems and don't have health insurance instead.....
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lilabila Avatar
154 months ago
Apple should simply ****ing absorb the VAT. It's not as if they did not already profit enough from those tax leaks and make quite some money anyway.

You wanna make money in a certain country? Pay this country's taxes.
Just ridiculous to pay taxes in Luxembourg or Ireland but sell goods and services in a completely different country?

You will alway pay any tax as a consumer. It's always you who will pay corporate taxes. I'm sure you will never understand.

Now you get what you wanted in first place. Pay your tax peon.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mojolicious Avatar
154 months ago
I'm a British citizen and I have lived there, thank you.

I could go on about a lack of rights, censorship in the extreme, lack of privacy, crime, ill-conceived immigration policies, and astronomically high taxes...but that'd be too easy.
It's reassuring to know that wherever you are in the world you can still get hold of the Daily Mail.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)