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I don't work for Apple, but I think they would point a developer to in-app purchases (IAP) as 'the way' to do paid upgrades. Still, auto-renewing IAP subscript

I don't work for Apple, but I think they would point a developer to in-app purchases (IAP) as 'the way' to do paid upgrades. Still, auto-renewing IAP subscriptions are limited to a narrow class of applications (see AppStore review guidelines #11.15), forcing most to use churn-prone manually-renewing subscriptions. Outside payment systems are largely prohibited for digital goods under #11.13. The combination of these rules forces multi-platform subscription based apps (i.e. Autodesk's 123d-line of apps) to juggle multiple payment systems. Integration between those payment systems is often weak due to lack of a published web service or hook-system for IAP. AppStore review guidelines can be found here: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#purchasing-currencies https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#pur... The state of in-app purchases leaves much to be desired.

deleted 11y ago
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lpsz 11y ago
IAP doesn't work too well for trials. You have to label it a free app, and then users get angry that you're charging for features. 2.6 Apps that are "beta", "demo", "trial", or "test" versions will be rejected [1] [1] https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/mac/ https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/mac/
clarky07 11y ago
I think they are quietly loosening 11.15. It started as just magazines, now it has: Apps may only use auto-renewing subscriptions for periodicals (newspapers, magazines), business Apps (enterprise, productivity, professional creative, cloud storage), and media Apps (video, audio, voice), or the App will be rejected On top of that, I know of at least 2 very high profile sports and health and fitness apps that are currently using auto-renewing subscriptions. Now, it's possible they get to do it BECAUSE they are high profile, but the precedent exists. They don't fit in any of the above categories.

deleted 11y ago

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lpsz 11y ago

IAP doesn't work too well for trials. You have to label it a free app, and then users get angry that you're charging for features. 2.6 Apps that are "beta", "demo", "trial", or "test" versions will be rejected [1] [1] https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/mac/ https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/mac/

clarky07 11y ago

I think they are quietly loosening 11.15. It started as just magazines, now it has: Apps may only use auto-renewing subscriptions for periodicals (newspapers, magazines), business Apps (enterprise, productivity, professional creative, cloud storage), and media Apps (video, audio, voice), or the App will be rejected On top of that, I know of at least 2 very high profile sports and health and fitness apps that are currently using auto-renewing subscriptions. Now, it's possible they get to do it BECAUSE they are high profile, but the precedent exists. They don't fit in any of the above categories.