Netflix is testing a payment feature that bypasses iTunes for fees and sign-up

Netflix is apparently testing an experimental feature that bypasses Apple’s iTunes for sign-up fees in 33 countries, including India. This means that until 30 September, Netflix subscribers in a few markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia will be unable to pay using iTunes, and will instead be redirected to the mobile web version, for entering payment details and thus paying directly with Netflix.According to a report by TechCrunch, the feature will forgo the Apple’s percentage cut from the subscription fees. Many other apps like Spotify have also moved users away from using iTunes to pay for subscriptions. this could be because apps currently pay Apple 30 percent when a user makes their first subscription and 15 percent for subsequent renewals.[caption id="attachment_5020701" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Representational Image[/caption]The test has been running since June. It started first in 10 countries and then expanded to 33 from 2 August 2 and will last until 30 September.The test by Netflix on Apple’s iTunes was first spotted by NDTV on 17 August, when the Netflix iOS app did not allow people to sign up for its service via its app for iPhone and iPad.A Netflix representative then said in a statement to TechCrunch, “We are constantly innovating and testing new signup approaches on different platforms to better understand what our members like. Based on what we learn, we work to improve the Netflix experience for members everywhere.”It may be a test, but it looks like the Netflix increasingly want to build a more direct contact with the users, and stop its customer relationships via other platforms.