YouTube TV is completely disentangling itself from Apple.
While YouTube TV already stopped letting new subscribers sign up for its service via Apple’s App Store last June — due to the fact that Apple takes a substantial cut of all subscriptions tendered there — the skinny bundle service notified users in an email that existing App Store subscriptions will be discontinued in March.
“You’re currently subscribed to YouTube TV through Apple in-app purchases, so we’re writing to let you know that, starting March 13, 2020, YouTube TV will no longer accept payment through Apple in-app purchases,” reads the email, per MacRumors. “You’ll be billed for one final month of service and then your in-app purchase subscription will be canceled automatically on your billing date after March, 13, 2020.”
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Of course, YouTube TV subscribers can renew their subscriptions through other venues, including the Google Play store or on the web. And YouTube TV subscribers will still be able to consume content on Apple devices, MacRumors notes; the iOS app will continue to exist, just without the ability to initiate a subscription.
Apple takes a 30% cut of all subscriptions bought on the App Store for the first year of service, which drops to 15% in year two.
In its most recent earnings report, parent company Google confirmed that YouTube TV had upwards of 2 million subscribers in the U.S. — which adds up to a pretty penny to be sharing with a middleman. YouTube TV is priced at $50 per month, and was previously available via the App Store at $55 per month to offset Apple’s cut.
