San Francisco, Nov 24 (IANS): Apple has extended its deadline for requiring in-app purchases for online group events within iOS apps from December to June 30 next year.

The tech giant earlier temporarily waived its customary 30 per cent App Store fee on in-app purchases for paid online events by small businesses on Facebook.

The company said on Monday that as the world fights Covid-19, it recognises that adapting experiences from in-person to digital continues to be a top priority.

"Although apps are required to offer any paid online group event experiences (one-to-few and one-to-many realtime experiences) through in-app purchase in accordance with App Store Review guideline 3.1.1, we temporarily deferred this requirement with an original deadline of December 2020," Apple said in a statement.

"To allow additional time for developing in-app purchase solutions, this deadline has been extended to June 30, 2021".

Facing flak for App Store's 30 per cent standard commission for paid app revenue and in-app purchases, Apple last week unveiled a new developer programme that will reduce the charge by half for small businesses that earn up to $1 million in revenue from January 1.

Apple said the new "App Store Small Business Programme" will benefit the vast majority of developers who sell digital goods and services on the store, providing them with a reduced commission on paid apps and in-app purchases.

To be launched on January 1, the programme comes at an important time as small and independent developers continue working to innovate and thrive during a period of unprecedented global economic challenge.