I am in the process of developing an app which needs to have a monthly subscription in-app purchase. The first version will be on the Apple platform. I have developed it using Xamarin because it need to support Android later as well. So far so good. Now I would like to start the development of the same kind of app for Apple TV, but I would like to use Xcode and Switch for that (because I prefer that). Is there a way to share the in-app purchase between the two different apps? I was first thinking of using wildcard for my bundle id, and use the same, but that does not seem to work for in-app purchase? Or am I missing something?
Thanks
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I have an app with two different targets: free and paid. I have already coded everything and it works but I'm unsure how to release the app. I'm wondering whether I should just release those two apps or is there any way for me to use in-app purchase for an app with multiple targets?
Like, a user purchases an app upgrade in the free app and then they automatically get the paid version of the app after making that purchase, is that possible? I looked around for in-app purchase guides, but none of them seem to be working with multiple app targets.
You can either release a free app and a paid-up-front app or merge both targets into one app and allow the user to unlock the premium features via an in-app purchase (freemium, as already mentioned by #Visal).
I would suggest the latter: Short-term it is more work for you because you have to merge both targets. But long-term, it has a lot of advantages:
you have to maintain only one app
the reviews aren't spread over two apps
it is the more convenient solution for your users since they do not have to download the same app again when they want to get the premium features.
We have in the AppStore a free app which has a PRO in-app purchase.
The in-app it's the usual appId of form com.our.appid.pro and purchasing it sets a boolean in userdefaults which enables or disables specific features in the app. It's all working fine.
However, I have the requirement to create a version which is PRO as soon as you download it from the AppStore. It would be equivalent to a free version with the in-app purchase already bought.
My question is, what is the most convenient way to do this ? Do I simply change the appid and force that boolean to YES for the purchased state and reupload it again as a different app ? I guess it cannot be done without having another app/appid ( that's why in-app purchases were implemented in the first place ... ).
Thanks
Yes, If you want to submit an app with fully featured app including the In App Purchase Functionality of your older version, then just change the bundle Id of your new app.
Make a new app on iTunes with a different app name and all features without In App Purchase for your those extra functionality of your older version.
Then you will be good to go.
Another option is that if you don't want to go for the PRO version of the app, then remove In App Purchase from your free version and increase the price tier of your free version and submit your app again without In App Purchase.
Hope this helps you.
Let's say I sell video-tutorials using a credit system and I want the service to be available as a website, an Android app and a iOS app.
So users may buy/consume credits and use credits to purchase video-tutorials from one of those 3 sources.
From Apple guidelines I read:
11.1 Apps that unlock or enable additional features or functionality with mechanisms other than the App Store will be rejected
11.2 Apps utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App will be
rejected
11.3 Apps using IAP to purchase physical goods or goods and services used outside of the App will be rejected
11.4 Apps that use IAP to purchase credits or other currencies must consume those credits within the App
11.5 Apps that use IAP to purchase credits or other currencies that expire will be rejected
Is it totally prohibited to use a credit system shared among many access points (as website, android, ios, windows and so on..) or it can be done just avoiding IAP (Apple in App purchase) and using for example PayPal mobile SDK?
It seems very strange to me that apps with this functionality cannot be published.
The only points in apple guidelines referring to credits (or virtual currencies are) 11.4 and 11.5 which make me think you can actually make an app that does not use IAP to purchase credits.
And if you can make an app that does not use IAP to purchase credits you don't have to respect point 11.4 so you can actually consume those credits outside the app itself.
BUT: given that you can sell credits without using IAP and so consume them even outside the app, using them to buy content will break points 11.1 and 11.2 ?
Thank you very much
I am not 100% sure about this, but based on other apps i have seen and the reason why other apps have been taken down i can think the following.
If your app uses the apple app purchase, then its fine.
If your app uses credits that came from another place, its also fine.
However, these credits SHOULD ONLY be purchasable using the in app purchase when the user access your service through the app. This means, you shouldn't offer any other "way of purchasing" credits while the user is using your app.
As an example i remember a very famous app, which i don't remember which was it, had to be taken down because it showed a link that would let users access the desktop purchase system, directly from the app.
There is also other examples. There are a ton of dating applications that use this system, if you go to their websites you can purchase credit, or you can directly purchase them within the app using the in app store method, the credits are the same for the service, just the way of buying them changes.
Another example is the game hearthstone, you can buy decks in game, but you can also buy them from their website, its not the same as credits, but the main point is the same.
Basically, what i think it means is, money related operations should go through apple if the service is being accessed by your app regardless of anything else.
You might want to wait for someone who has had more experience in this, I am just telling you what i have noticed.
If I have a both an iPhone and iPad version of an app, can they share in-app purchases? If a user makes a purchase on their iPhone, then downloads the app on an iPad, I need the app to respect the purchase.
I have a lot of artwork files so the app is fairly large, and I'm wondering if separate apps are the way to go in this case, instead of a universal app.
So it is possible to share in-app purchases with two different targets? I have read a few things that mention iCloud in this scenario, but have no idea how that would work.
No. In-app purchase products are associated with apps bundle IDs. You'd need to go with an universal app.
I have completed my iPhone app. It is an app in the finance category. Now, I wish to incorporate in-app purchase.
But before this, I was thinking if I can get the app approved by Apple first.
I will limit 2 features in the app (which can be purchased via in-app purchase once it is added).
I wish to make it live on app store first (with limited features). Then later, I can incorporate in-app purchases. Is it possible for me to do so? Because I will be limiting certain features of the app. Will Apple accept this?
If I remember correctly, there is an option when the App should hit the AppStore. I usually selected the current date as the desired AppStore date. But you could select some point in the future, say one year from now. That should solve your problem, doesn't it?
Until then, you'll see if Apple accepts your app and can later on upload new versions with additional features.
Any minimum viable product(new features can be added in the future updates) can be uploaded to App store. Checkout the Apple's Guidelines