we got a new requirement for creating an iPad application for a web app (business app). In this web app user can subscribe for a month and after that the subscription will be auto renewed. We need to create an iPad app with same features.
I am having some trouble to take a decision for designing the app, here are some points what is in my mind:
Is it possible to implement monthly subscription plan in an iPad app using iAP, is it okay with the Apple guidelines?
We can use In-App-Purchase for payment options, so is it possible to implement this auto renewal with iAP? Or just use the web app for payment and auto renewal and use the iPad app as a client app?
And is there any Apple guidelines against this kind of design?
I know this is not a technical question, but I am new to this iAP. And I found some apple docs also, but I am not sure how it will be in the app as per our design. I am expecting some expert opinions to take a decision regarding this app design. If someone needs more clarification about the question, feel free to ask.
Please share your ideas and experiences.
Thanks in advance.
With iAP I don't think it is possible to have an auto renewal feature.
According to apple reviews guideline an application shouldn't use a method other than iAP to manage subscriptions
https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/approval/guidelines.html (Look for rules under 11.x) (I don't paste them here as there are under NDA)
According to your app you need you want to keep this in AutoRenewable process .Here login with your ituens account and there is an option Manage in App purchases in this fill up the fields accordingly and it will ask an produt id this is very important to you . Hold this with you and you want to add storekit framework for this . And you want to generate an shared secret for this it easy to implement
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 want to make a subscription to my app without using In App Purchase. Instead of it I want new user go to a web site from application and make a subscription with payment using few steps on web site.
Alos here are few steps how to implement it:
using UIWebView that will internally show subscription option from my site
using SFSafariViewController which also works without forcing leaving application.
Will Apple allow to do the subscription like this? Did someone face with the same situation.
You can offer subscriptions through your website, but your application is not allowed to refer to that website or to try directing users to your website, or your app will be rejected.
You can't do that.
https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
11.12 Apps offering subscriptions must do so using IAP, Apple will share the same 70/30 revenue split with developers for these purchases, as set forth in the Program License Agreement
It's against the App Store Review Guidelines so your app will be rejected for trying to go around the IAP program.
NO - You have to use In-app purchase.You can not use any of the work-around but it's depend on what types of apps you are developing. Using website (previously purchased content) is only possible for limited cases.It's only permitted for Reader app, see 3.1.3(a) of in-app purchase guidelines.That's why Spotify and Netflix manage to do it but they fall under this category.
I need to make iphone application that use payment gateway (using visa ... etc).
Is that doable ? Does Apple accept that kind of app? or should Apple apps use in-app-purchase criteria?
That is perfectly acceptable to do.
There are several apps which do this. The first example that springs to mind is tickets for public transportation.
But you can't use it to replace in-app purchases for products in your app, and you can't use it to bypass the App Store structure to trick Apple out of their 30% for app sales. It has to be something which exists/has value outside the app.
The app is a small portal from which you can view/buy videos, view/buy songs, play/buy games and view/buy epubs.
Would Apple view this app as competing or being similar to the App Store or iBooks and thus reject it?
Are you going to use in-app purchase for it? If so, you should have less of a problem. But yes, as mentioned, they might view it as competition, but typically they are quite lenient if they still make profit from the in-app purchases. Also, since you are selling more than one type of media, it cannot really be viewed as direct competition.
If you use StoreKit for purchases, you should be fine as long as you don't create functionality that is the same or similar to the functionality provided by the integrated apps. You have to have a unique difference ("Use the special gmail-functions" was enough for google mail but that was Google).
If your app uses another payment mechanism (PayPal, ...) it will be denied. You have to use StoreKit / iTunes and give apple 30% of the revenue.
I've heard there are some precautions to take to develop a market in an application.
I'm developing an application for a football club. I would like to integrate a kind of market to sell stadium seats.
Someone told me Apple will refuse the application if I integrate it directly inside the app (using Obj-C, communicating with PHP pages).
According to him, I should redirect the user to an external web page (using Safari app for example) to realize the transaction.
Apple does not really communicate about that kind of information.
Do you know anything about it?
You can't use In App Purchase to buy "real life things" such as stadium seats : http://developer.apple.com/news/ios/pdf/in_app_purchase.pdf
The only solution is to use an external payment solution.
The Movies Now app implements such a thing : http://moviesnowapp.com/
Yes, you can use only in-app purchases to sell anything in your app, otherwise Apple will reject your app.
I'm not so sure if Apple will reject your app on these grounds. How can they know what your php pages are doing if you put them in a WebView? Also, think about services like Sky or Spotify that require a subscription. Apple do not take a cut on this, so you could set up a similar thing whereby your users have an account online that they can purchase tickets from and the iPhone is simply a thin client for your online services...
Yes you have to use InApp purchase only to apply unlock functionality,and to use In App purchase there are certain scenarios which can be implemented.
You can find in detail about In App functionality on
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/StoreKitGuide/AddingaStoretoYourApplication/AddingaStoretoYourApplication.html
Secondly if you want to implement In App purchase,there is a very good tutorial which i found very helpful and was easily able to integrate inApp in my application and it was also later on approved by apple.
http://troybrant.net/blog/2010/01/in-app-purchases-a-full-walkthrough/
Cheers
You cannot use Apple in app purchase to purchase non digital goods, if you have an existing payment provider or user account you could use that, take a look at the eBay app which has Paypal integration