Netflix Cozying Up To Apple By Letting It Have A Share Of Gaming-Revenue Pie

What Happened: Gurman said that $Netflix(NFLX.US)$ is allowing its users to sign up for subscriptions inside of its games through $Apple(AAPL.US)$ ’s in-app purchase system.

“That gives Apple up to a 30% cut. Even more surprising is that those subscriptions also work in the main Netflix video streaming app,” Gurman wrote in his weekly newsletter.

Gurman said that this is a signal that tensions between Apple and Netflix “seem to be cooling.”

Why It Matters: The development surrounding in-app payments is notable, according to Gurman, because Netflix stopped letting its customers subscribe through Apple’s service in 2018.

“Now it’s providing a new way to sign up that lets Apple take a cut again,” said Gurman.

Netflix has yet to reinstate in-app purchases through its main app. Gurman said he does not anticipate that happening, terming the games concession a “major change.”

“I’m curious to see what this is a precursor to. Perhaps Netflix will ask Apple for an exemption to the ban on all-in-one gaming apps, letting the streaming giant provide a more streamlined offering to its customers.”

Last week, Netflix launched 5 games for iPhone and iPad users through an app available on the App Store marketplace.