Apple locks app updates due to unpaid purchase and failed payment methods

• You cannot request a refund on a Pending charge and you cannot cancel it either. You have already agreed to pay it when you double clicked the side button with the amount showing on the screen.
• Yes, you will not be able to use the App Store until that has been resolved.
• Apple Pay and your payment method used on your Apple Account are 2 different things.
• Current payment methods that have failed to process the charges may be deemed not valid, so you will need to use a completely different payment method for your Apple Account.
• If you are having trouble adding a payment method to pay those charges, review this support article:

If a message says 'billing problem with previous purchase' or 'verification required' - Apple Support

• To contact Apple directly, you would do that by calling a number here. Support types vary by region.

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

Re: "Can't update any application" " ... 6mo ago a payment failed during a purchase of additional content. ..."

Apple support's online article (link below) has the details on how to pay an unpaid order.

(Your account and payment methods can't be used normally while an amount is "pending".)

If a message says 'billing problem with previous purchase' or 'verification required' - Apple Support

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Re: "I submitted a support request to cancel the purchase, but I haven't heard back from Apple."

Seems Apple can only process refunds, yet no money has changed hands.

The purchase may or may not have involved one of Apple's own products.

The purchase may have been made with a product's distributor or developer.

In which case they would be the one to cancel or not, and have the outstanding unpaid amount owing.

(Eg: Apple would merely transfer money for you, much like a bank does for us.)

Six months ago is a long time ago now.

Apple Support's "How to" article / application for a refund of a paid purchase:

: Request a refund for apps or content that you bought from Apple - Apple Support

Thank you for sharing your reply from the developer, and thank you to Jim D for confirming and adding to what we have discussed. We are all Apple users, like yourself, in the community ... so no-one here can view or change your accounts or details.

Seems both Apple and the developer have no way of cancelling an unpaid purchase, so the way forward is to pay the pending amount that you initially agreed to pay using a different payment method than the one that failed. If needed: You could then try asking the developer for a refund, or for what you paid for.

About purchases not billed through the App Store or the App Store’s In-App Purchase system - Apple Support eg: says:

"If you paid for an app, a purchase within an app, or a subscription outside of Apple’s ecosystem, contact the developer for billing support or a refund. Apple is unable to provide support for these purchases."

Yes. Seems no refund or cancellation of a pending amount due is able to be processed by Apple. However a refund for a paid-for purchase may or may not be approved.