App Store users in Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa will soon need to pay more as Apple announces it is raising the prices in these locations.

Apple recently announced the increase of App Store prices in Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa in the next few days. Apps and in-app purchases are covered by the price change, though the Cupertino-based tech giant did not say whether company services like iCloud subscription and Apple Music are also affected by the price change.

According to Apple, changes in the foreign exchange rate in those countries necessitated the need to readjust the prices of apps and in-app purchases in App Stores located in these areas. Apple also posted a similar notice, giving developers a heads-up on its developer page about the company's intention to raise prices in its App Store in several countries. "When taxes or foreign exchange rates change, we sometimes need to update prices on the App Store. In the next few days, prices of apps and in-app purchases (excluding auto-renewable subscriptions) on the App Store will increase in Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa," the Cupertino-based company said.

   

In the case of India, Apple announced that its price readjustment there also takes account of the equalization levy of 2%, apart from its existing tax of 18% on goods and services. All of these were factored in when Apple decided to raise prices in its App Store in several countries like Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa. For Indonesia, there is also the recently-passed tax legislation for foreign developers, while prices in Iceland and Albania will also be adjusted so it goes in sync with the pricing that other markets use when selling in US currency with value-added tax.

Apple's move to raise prices in its App Store in countries like Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa is not something new. In September of this year, it also adjusted its App Store prices in Chile, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The company also explained it was because of changes in levy regulations in those particular countries like in the case of Chile where its new value-added tax became 19%, which is up 1% from its previous rate of 18%. In Mexico, Apple was also forced to make price adjustments in its App Store because of a 1% increase in its tax rate from 15% to 16%. For Turkey, the Cupertino-based company raised App Store prices because of a recently-approved digital services tax of 7.5% on top of the existing value-added tax of 18%.

Apple advised developers to visit the Apple Developer website so they are well-informed on why the company decided to raise prices in its App Store in countries like Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa. Developers can also check out the new price list on affected countries and there is also information on how their apps are affected. Apple, however, did not specify when the new prices will take effect for users.