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Is it possible to set up an in-app purchase for $0.00?
Let's say you have a variety of non-consumable items that your users can download. Some of them should cost money, and some should be free. By putting all of these items as In-App Purchases, you can centralize their metadata and reduce the code for handling the downloads.
Would there be a problem with making an in-app purchase free?
Edit for Clarification:
My idea here is centralizing metadata. You have 10 items, 5 are free. You need to make a call via StoreKit to the App Store to retrieve the names, descriptions and prices of the 5 paid items--this is required per the docs. You also need to make a call to your own server to retrieve the same information for the 5 free ones, if these downloadable items are not in the App Store. Then you need to combine this information into one list of downloadable content.
By putting the free items into the App Store as $0.00 In-App purchases, you centralize the information about your downloadable content.
Is this desirable? If it is, is it possible?
As it currently stands it appears that it is not available (here):
no free In-App Purchases are available
But Apple is going to implement this feature for developers with iOS7! (source1, source2)
I am sure that there are better documentation in the member center but I am currently locked out waiting for my boss to approve a new license agreement. This is a wonderful idea besides just the metadata reasons. It would allow the developer to offer free in-app purchases for special offers or periods of time too.
Apple doesn't allow you to set up in App purchases for $0. So there is no way of even thinking about this.
Regards
Rajeev
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I know this has been asked so many times. But I don't really got an answer as this is not very clear.
I'm developing a web platform and an iOS app (linked together).
I have my own users base, and I don't rely on Apple IDs. So I can't use In-App Purchases because subscriptions would be linked to a given Apple ID and not my own IDs. Which can be confusing because a same user ID can run on devices with different Apple IDs, and vice-versa.
Moreover my users must be able to use the web platform with the same subscriptions/permissions online.
So I need to use a third-part service like Stripe to handle subscriptions.
If I do well understand the new Apple Guidelines, I can't put the Stripe form into the App. I can't neither put a link to make the payment on Safari, for example.
But what if I just put a label saying "Manage your subscription on my-website.com"?
Will my app be rejected by Apple?
This is not very clear as Apple says that "Developers can send communications outside of the app to their user base about purchasing methods other than in-app purchase."so we should be able to use third-part tools, without referring to them into the app..
The canonical answer to your question is in the Business section of the App Store Review Guidelines. Of particular note:
3.1.1 In-App Purchase:
If you want to unlock features or functionality within your app, (by way of example: subscriptions, in-game currencies, game levels, access to premium content, or unlocking a full version), you must use in-app purchase. Apps may not use their own mechanisms to unlock content or functionality, such as license keys, augmented reality markers, QR codes, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency wallets, etc. Apps and their metadata may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase, except as set forth in 3.1.3(a).
And:
3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video). Reader apps may offer account creation for free tiers, and account management functionality for existing customers. Reader app developers may apply for the External Link Account Entitlement to provide an informational link in their app to a web site the developer owns or maintains responsibility for in order to create or manage an account. Learn more about the External Link Account Entitlement.
In short, if your subscription unlocks features or functionality in your app you have to use in-app purchases unless you have a "reader" app, in which case you can apply for an entitlement to add an external link to subscribe. You will not be able to use Stripe to accept payment inside your app unless you're selling something like physical goods:
3.1.3(e) Goods and Services Outside of the App: If your app enables people to purchase physical goods or services that will be consumed outside of the app, you must use purchase methods other than in-app purchase to collect those payments, such as Apple Pay or traditional credit card entry.
Ultimately it's up to Apple when it comes to what will pass review and what won't. No one can predict what will happen ahead of time.
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In my app people can send each other virtual gifts which they can use within the app.
Gifts can be purchased using Coins.
Coins can be purchased using Consumable in app purchases.
I am storing everything on my server.
Here is what I got from apple.
As indicated in the previous correspondence, your app includes "gifting" feature allowing users to send virtual gift using the purchased Consumable coins and the recipient can use the received item.
It would be appropriate to remove gifting feature from your app.
There is nothing in the AppStore Guidelines regarding "gifting" features. Can someone shed some light on this matter ?
How can I get my app approved while keeping the Gifting feature?
I think, one better solution.
a) you use Terms & conditions page in your app and explain all things.
b) include two things in `Terms & conditions page
1)include an explicit statement in the contest or virtual gift using rules that specifies that Apple is not a sponsor nor is involved in any way
2)insure that the contest or virtual prizes are not Apple products; using Apple products as prizes suggests an inappropriate association with Apple.
I will suggest you to ask them in Resolution Center why should I not use gifting feature in my application as I am following HIG ? Then they will elaborate in more details the reason of rejection and then if they tell you valid reason then you will have to make changes in your app otherwise they will accept your app.
Hope it helps you.
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Am I required to use Apple's In-App Purchase support if I wish to allow for subscriptions in my app? I'm currently working on an app that will be free to download and use. It will be ad-supported, but I will also offer a premium version of the service that won't display ads. Can I implement the subscription functionality myself within the app/backend service (Registration, credit card processing, etc.)? Or, am I required to use Apple's In-App Purchase support (thereby also giving up 30% of my subscription fee)
Yes you are required. Apple will reject anything that tries to work around their 30% cut
Actually... there is a workaround where you may keep 100% of the revenue:
"If you would like to make a subscription offer outside of the app, the same (or better) subscription price must be offered inside the app for users who wish to subscribe from within the app."
Source: https://developer.apple.com/appstore/in-app-purchase/subscriptions.html
Not sure if this speaks directly to your question of making an app ad free, but it is possible to keep 100% of the revenue IF you make the same offer as an in app purchase.
Apple reversed these guidelines a while ago, allowing devs to mark up in-app purchases, but I am not sure if this is still relevant.
See: http://www.macworld.com/article/1160430/apple_removes_pricing_restrictions_in_app_subscriptions.html
and
http://help.rdio.com/customer/portal/questions/433219-price-discrepancy
As it was already said you are required to use original Apple APIs. Moreover, according to Apple’s policy a developer can not choose which type of In-App-Purchases to use for their apps. You can read more about it in a dev's post
iOS In-App Purchase Overview: Our Hands-On Experience
In brief there are 3 types of subscriptions:
free -- are used by applications that offer issues for free
auto-renewable -- after the first successful purchase, they are
prolonging themselves automatically if users’ credit card is valid
and if he hasn't stopped it manually
non-renewing -- subscription is initiated by users, lasts a certain
period of time and stops when the period ends, to subscribe again, a
user should initiate the subscription manually.
The use of auto-renewable subscription is limited only to Mass Media category applications. Free subscription can't be used for demo versions distributed with commercial purposes. And certainly, if an app violates Apple's requirements on In-App Purchase use and limitations, it will be banned from AppStore.
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My app let the user input very specific types of data, and offer online synchronization. To use the app, you must pay a subscription (auto renewing subscription in-app purchase).
However, I would like to include a free trial. I cannot use the free trial option of in-app purchase products because this is only allowed for newsstand apps (according to WWDC 2012 session videos, session 308 "Managing Subscriptions with IAP")
Here is my idea of workaround to achieve similar functionality :
The user creates an account on my app
This account is given a short free subscription for testing the app. Subscription is managed server-side. During the trial, there is no restrictions on the app
When the trial is over, the user will not be able to insert new data, or sync with the server. He will be prompted to subscribe to continue using the app
I have a doubt if this is acceptable for the App Store. Any ideas?
Thanks
Technically that would work but two problems arise:
One: if you don't use in app purchasing then the users can't buy your service from the app (its in the dev agreement)
Two: if you do use in app purchasing then you trust the IOS devices to say "hey I just bought one year service so hook me up" one could hack this http://zd.net/LkY9Ra and make your server give service to illegitimate users. Will this happen? not likely but it can.
Kinda sucks apple forces developers to a clearly flawed model
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Using a comic app (like the Marvel app) as an example, where is a comic book purchased via an In-App Purchase actually hosted (as in where does it download from)? Is it on Apple servers (like the app itself is) or on the app developers servers?
I ask because Apple charges 30% for an In-App Purchase...the same as they do for a regular app purchase. This is supposed to be in exchange for things like not paying credit card processing fees and not having to host the app ourselves. But in the case of an In-App Purchase that requires a download (and not simply unlocking a feature already contained within the app), I assume the download has to come from the app developers own servers...which means the app developer is paying for the data transfer on top of the 30% to Apple. Is this correct?
Thanks.
Eddie
Apple does not host content outside of your ipa file. You can use services like Urban Airship to help. Again, they take a small cut for their service, but it definitely makes it easier than setting up your own S3/webservices.
http://urbanairship.com/products/in-app-purchase/