As if Twitter hasn't received enough backlash, it is raising its subscription price for Twitter Blue to $11 for iPhone users. This is due to the 30% cut that Apple takes for every in-app purchase. However, Twitter Blue on the web will be cheaper at $7 per month.
Not Set in Stone
Initially, the plan was $8 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription. The price increase comes after Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Apple puts a "secret 30% tax" on App Store purchases. It was also in late November when rumors of Apple withholding Twitter from the App Store broke.
The issue has been resolved since Apple CEO Tim Cook and Musk met, wherein they clarified the misunderstanding regarding the issue. Cook confirmed that he never intended to take Twitter off the App Store, but then there's still the case of the 30% cut that Apple gets.
The additional $3 for Twitter Blue on iPhones will provide for Apple's tax cut without dipping into Twitter's profit. This might urge iPhone users to subscribe through the web instead, as mentioned in MacRumors since it's cheaper than the original price.
This will likely be implemented as soon as Twitter Blue launches, which is set to happen on Friday. It hasn't been available since it was taken down on November 11 due to the impersonation accounts appearing to be verified.
The Future of Twitter Blue
One of the concerns about the accessibility of Twitter verification is how it may dilute credibility. Anyone with money to spare can achieve a check mark, which is counterproductive to Musk's mission to reduce impersonations. There is a solution in the work, apparently.
The check marks will not be similar for everyone. For verified companies, the verification mark will appear in gold. For government accounts, the mark will appear in grey. However, artists will still have the blue mark, just as everyone else who pays for Twitter Blue.
For verification, each account will be manually authenticated. If not, the check mark will not appear. Musk expressed that the process will be painful, but that it was necessary. There might also be an organization logo beside its members, granted that the organization verifies them.
Twitter Blue has been delayed many times. In a tweet where Musk explained the designated colors for each account, he mentioned that the subscription was set to launch on December 2nd, yet it has been moved to December 9th.
Even the prices of the subscription for various devices might change since Musk is not exactly known for his decisiveness. There could also be changes made in the future for more check mark colors.
The blue check mark now symbolizes a user who paid $8, as mentioned in Fast Company. It no longer holds the weight that it used to, which is when well-known people like actors and musicians were the ones who had the verification tag.
