I have been working on a subscription app as a side project and it's finally time to submit the project to the app store! Being that it's the first app project I have worked on I wanted to get some thoughts from someone who has done this before regarding IAP-subscription through the app store VS just making it available through your website (Netflix model)?
My background is in growth and web development so I'm planning to acquire customers primarily outside the app stores however I'm seeing a lot of successful subscription apps still offering IAP (calm, headspace, etc).
If you were starting from scratch (boots
trapped) what would route would you take and what are the pros-cons in your opinion?
Would appreciate any feedback as I have no idea what to expect:)
Thanks,
Brooke
Related
I'm implementing IAP for SaaS application. I nearly finished with Store Kit's integration, receipt validation and other development related stuff. But I still have 2 more questions regarding Apple's guidelines which I couldn't find answer to on the docs.
The first question: I read on few places on the web that my app should provide minimum functionality even if the user is not subscribed. I offer a SaaS app and I don't want the user to be able to use the app if he's not subscribed. I will allow him to purchase a subscription if he is not subscribed. Is it enough for minimum functionality? (I suspect that these minimum functionality restrictions are old and obsolete, as they sound absurd).
The second question: I want to offer the user a possibility to try the app for free without subscribing at all (Without Store Kit's Free Trial option), because I don't want make the user make a commitment to pay before he tried the app (Apple also doesn't provide a convenient way to cancel the subscription, which may cause abandon-users to be charged even if they don't use the app, which will cause bad reviews etc). So the question is, can I do this without risking my app to get rejected? Does apple allow such kind of Free Trial feature which is managed solely by my server?
Forgive me if this info is somewhere on Apple's docs, but I couldn't find anything related. Thanks!
Okay after sending a query to Apple (Which didn't help me much to understand) and submitting an app to the App Store, I may have an answer:
Apple do allow SaaS apps and did approved my SaaS app. I honestly don't know if they checked my app enough to tell if it is okay but it was approved.
My app implements the Free Trial mechanism without App Store's free trial option. It is clearly written on the registration view controller that the app offers 3 month of free usage without obligation, and then continues without popping and App Store free trial page or something. My app was approved so I guess it is actually okay and within Apple's guidelines.
Hope it'll somehow help someone.
I'm getting ready to submit my first iOS to the app store. I'm currently weighing the pros and cons of creating an LLC for my developer account to submit to the app store, as opposed to just submitting as an individual.
In previous forum posts, it seems Apple used to take much longer (months) to approve an app from a company, whereas for individuals it can take less than a week.
Has this changed at all or is this how it continues to be?
Thanks a lot
It doesn't matter to be honest. There is not much difference between Individual and Company account to start with. There are only team organization and such feature available to Company which are not available to individual developers. Personally I haven't seen any issues as far as submissions are concerned. However, if you are thinking of switching your individual account to company, you'll have to submit your DUNS registration number which might take time(both getting one and then submitting to apple and upgrading your account). This however doesn't affect app submission and app approval time. If there is something wrong with the app, they'll reach out to you and that might take time(not so long as months though).
Hope this helps. All the best!
I am building out a iOS & Android app. My app may not fully scale to support users and have some limited functionality out the gates. I wanted to put an invite list on the front of registration like Mailbox did a few years ago.
I was trying to read the Apple app store guidelines to creating a "waiting list / invite list" and couldn't get a clear picture. I assume Android is more flexible on this, so I figured I could start with Apple's guidelines first.
Here is what I can find.
In Apple's docs, it says under 3.2.2 "UnAcceptable"
(v) Arbitrarily restricting who may use the app, such as by location or carrier.
In this specific case, I am not blocking by location or carrier. I am just putting up a wall to use the app since some of my users can use it in a limited form, but I can't open it up to everyone on Day 1.
I understand I can run a "testflight" release, but I wanted to make our app available in the App Store for anyone to download since it will be publicly available, just not fully ready for a million people to hit it. My understanding is that the testflight release requires a bit more work based on their docs and isn't as simple as just putting it in the public app store so anyone can get to it.
Apple has the ultimate authority for approving and rejecting apps in their app store so nothing on SO can really be perfect advice. If you are really concerned about approval, you can try to contact apple developers support. Here are a few things I would advise:
Make sure in the developer notes for Apple when you submit to them you include a free account.
In the notes for the app store let the users know that it may take up to __ hours for their registration to get activated.
My understanding is you are doing this to handle the volume of users as you are launching the app. Be advised though that if you start restricting users too much you will possibly get poor reviews. Only restrict usage if absolutely required. If you run into issues make sure you are communicating with the users so they understand.
Good luck with you new app!
We are using Amazon FPS payment gateway for purchasing goods through IOS app, now we need to upload it to apple review team and as this is production app, it is pointed to production/live Amazon FPS account so here I want to understand if apple really want to buy anything then they need some credentials by which they can test the purchases.
So first thing really apple tests the whole purchase flow? If yes then what credentials should I provide? or should I update the server for sandbox mode till apple approves the app?
You should submit your app and select "Hold for developer release".
Then you can provide Apple with credentials on your sandbox server to test with.
When Apple approved your app, you can switch your server to production, then release your app.
But, I have a feeling they are not going to approve your app because it provides a mechanism for folks to buy things that does not give Apple a cut of the action. This is not unlike the issue with magazines and newspapers (or anyone) selling subscriptions via non-Apple Store mechanisms: Apple doesn't like when they get cut out.
Apple would prefer you use In-App Purchase, so they get a cut.
Good luck!
EDIT:
Indeed, there is a distinction to be made for real versus virtual goods, which I guess I missed when I read your post. Sorry.
To your actual question: Will Apple test it? No one knows. :-) You should assume they will, and provide some test credentials for them to use.
I can tell you from experience with a (free) commercial app I built, before we launched the service, we had the app submitted, and Apple did register on our backend and test out the app.
We released a charitable "micro-giving" app on iOS that uses Amazon payments to externally process the donations. We submitted the app with our production payment system.
According to our server logs, during their review Apple never submitted a payment or even initiated one.
It took a couple of submissions to get approved, but their feedback largely was focused on making sure we were complying with Apple's guidelines (donations must be processed external to the app, i.e. via safari), and making it clear to the user what the exact donation process was.
I think it's unlikely that Apple would spend money to test your app, nor would they wait to see if you actually delivered the goods as promised either. However, I do think that they will make it clear to you in their feedback if they want to test without spending real money.
I hope somebody can help here, its an ongoing issue with no obvious solution.
The background
I created my own personal apple developer account back in 2010 to tinker about with iOS development. The company I worked for at that time asked me to write an app as a test to see if we could a) write an app and b) sell it. It so happens both cases were true and the app has flourished into a successful venture.
The issue:
I am leaving this company and we are trying to figure out how I can give them this app, they did after all still pay a salary while I was making the app so I consider it their app really only its tied to me and my personal developer license. I currently forward any funds it makes to them each month.
We contacted Apple and they suggested the company i work for set up a company developer account and then ask for an app transfer. This sounded great and we started the process but then it occurred to me that re-signing the app under a different developer license would effectively kill the existing app on the store. All our ratings would be wiped (and there are quite a few) which is unacceptable. The ratings of an App are extremely important to its success on the store. Apple confirmed that the ratings and reviews do not get transferred across. We stopped.
So, here I am at this block again.
The company I work for even suggested buying my personal account off me so they can run it themselves but I am worried about this, it seems fraudulent as I am the one responsible for contracts on that account and any issue would come back to me. THey wouldn't be able to change the owner "name" on the account either from what I have read.
Any suggestions how we can resolve this?
Thanks
Geoff
it occurred to me that re-signing the app under a different developer license would effectively kill the existing app on the store.
This is false. As long as you transfer the app like Apple suggests (you need to contact them for this), the company just needs to submit a new version from their account and it will work. You don't lose your ratings, nothing. It all gets transferred to the new account including the iTunes Connect side of things. They can sign it with a different certificate and submit. As long as the app ID is the same as before (which it will be), there is no problem.
It sounds like you have old or inaccurate information, because I know somebody who did a transfer like this, and they kept all the ratings etc.
I have faced this same issue, after contacting apple several times, we concluded that there was not other choice, so we removed the app and re uploaded it a gain on the other account
Not only the rating has been wiped, but also users with old app will not be able to update it when you push a new version to the app store
Its a very tough decision, but we had no other choice