I need to move an app from my current individual developer account to a corporation account. I realize this cannot be done automatically, and that I just have to remove the app from sale in one account, then submit it in the other.
My question is, what is the prefered method of doing this to make it as seamless a possible for current users? Should I alert them through a push notification? Submit an app update that tells users they will have to redownload the app?
Any other tips on this transition?
This is a University app that is free and ranking doesn't matter as much as a paid app.
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For last few days this cat and mouse game is going on between me and App Store Reviewers. And despite searching everywhere, I have not been able to find an answer to this question, so seeking help here.
I have submitted an app with auto-renewable subscriptions in it.
My app requires that users sign-in in order to see additional options, which includes subscription option as well.
App Store Reviewers keep rejecting my app citing this same text every time:
Regarding 5.1.1, we continue to notice that your app requires users to register with personal information to purchase non account-based in-app purchase products, which does not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines.
To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to make it clear to the user that registering will enable them to access the content from any of their iOS devices and provide them a way to register at any time, if they wish to later extend access to additional iOS devices.
We look forward to reviewing your resubmitted app.
Best regards,
App Store Review
What is non account-based in-app purchase products by the way?
I have also made it clear in my app what App Reviewer have asked above, i.e. make clear to the users that registering will enable them to access the content from any of their iOS devices. I didn't say iOS devices specifically, but said other devices since I'll have the same app on Android devices as well.
While I appreciate App Store Reviewers to help me improve my app, but I am totally lost here. I have submitted two updates to my app but every time it got rejected with the same reason.
Over this period I have also read their guidelines, read many similar cases online, but am still not clear what is required of me here.
Do they want the users to be able to purchase subscriptions even if they are not signed in? If so then technically how does this work? First it'll break the core functionality of the app since without registration I don't have user's info to create an account for them. Secondly how will I know which user purchased the subscription? I have to tie the subscription to the user's account on my backend. This means first I need to create an account for the user before user can purchase a subscription.
Please help me to get this right.
Currently I am waiting App Store's reply and my screens looks like these, with all other options removed when not signed in, and added text bottom of the Sign-In option, and help icon on top right of the screen where there is more information available for the user; and the one when user is signed-in.
If I would be a user of your app, I think I would find this behavior quite odd.
I would expect a login/registration screen when starting your app. If I decide to create an account, the Subscription button would always be visible within the settings.
However, there would also be an option "Continue without registration". If you do not create an account, the settings page could show some info text like "Some features are only available for registered members. Please tap here to create an account". Tapping the corresponding cell would show the registration page that is also shown when starting your app for the first time.
Maybe some users created an account in the past but forgot their passwort? Then they would not be able to restore their purchases, right?
Your login/registration form should also contain a "Forgot Password" option.
My app was eventually approved last year. The change I made was to remove the Subscriptions button from the Settings menu. And move it inside the user profile page. This means that user can see the Subscription option only after signing in and by going to their profile page. While this doesn't make sense to me, but that's how probably Apple wanted it. Subsequent updates to my app were also approved without any problem.
I am designing a paying app that will require users to create their own profile.
This app will of course be downloadable on each of the devices the user has.
This is the precise scenario I want to bypass :
the user downloads the App on an iPhone
he creates an account and start using the app that makes server
calls
he downloads the app on his iPad and with his login & password
retreives the data on the server, so far so good
Now, he lends his iPad to a friend (who didn't pay for the app).
The friend wants to use the App, and wants to create his own
account. Yet, I want to forbide this since he didn't pay for the
App.
So my problem is : I want to restrict the use of the app only to the user that paid for the App, not for his friend.
Of course, I cannot use the AppleID since there is no way to reach it from code.
I thought one moment that I could use iCloud like mentioned here but since the ( iOS unique user identifier )user can choose not to use iCloud, my problem is not solved ...
Is there an easy solution that I missed to solve that issue?
You friend will be using different apple id. You could use Restoring Transactions api of apple to get understand whether the user has purchased the app or not. This is possible for non-consumable in app purchase. Please do check the below link :
https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/StoreKitGuide/MakingaPurchase/MakingaPurchase.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40008267-CH3-SW1
If I submit a newstand app that does not use push notifications, but instead queries my server for new content each time the user launches the app will apple reject my app?
I.e. Do users expect push on all newsstand apps?
Thanks
No, Apple's guidelines do not mandate the use of push notifications, and your app should not be rejected for not using them. However it may provide a better experience for your users if you implement push notifications. Otherwise the only way for a user to know that updates are available is to manually run your app and check.
Note that the official review guidelines for a Newsstand app are exactly the same as the review guidelines for any other app.
Aroth has answered the question correctly but I want to add few important points to keep in mind for Newsstand apps based on my personal experience.
Apple will reject any Newsstand app without subscription in it.
In case all your content is free still you have to create a Free
subscription.
The content must be a magazine/newspaper/newsletter.No catalog etc
in Newsstand.
The new content must come with frequency of at most a quater.
To answer this question
Do users expect push on all newsstand apps?
YES they will, because it is one of the most important functionality of NS apps and is assumed by default. Every single NS app in App Store has it.
While the technical answer is "no", there is a very good point to implement push notifications. The end user is expecting to see fresh content "magically appearing" in the newsstand applications without actual interaction. For this feature to work, you need to implement background downloading on new issues, data, whatever, which is possible when you have an APNS server informing (and waking up) your application on new content.
I can confirm that a newsstand app with a method for in app purchase of a Free subscription but without automatic content pushing will not be rejected.
Apple just approved an app I've been working on that only has a Dummy "functionality" for subscribing to Free subscription.
User touches "Subscribe now for free", goes through in app purchase and that's it - nothing changes.
Sole purpose of that button is to get the app approved.
Btw. I've implemented that button only 'cause of this thread.
Thanks!
I am about to submit an app to the app store for approval. I have a question regarding the app price.
Can I change the app from paid to free or from free to paid at any time? I have noticed that some paid apps have a promotion were the app is free for a limited time and I am considering using the same strategy if I can research it enough .
If I first write a free app and it's approved by App Store, can I sometime later change it to a paid app?
If I can do so, how does app store process the update? For example, if a user downloads my app when it's free can they update the app later when it is no longer free?
Yes, you can change the price whenever you like. When a user downloads the app, whether it is paid or free, they get updates for free. They never have to pay again unless you add an in-app purchase into your app.
Yes. You can do it any time from your App Store connect setting. Have a look. Simply go to your App Store connect and select your app after that go to pricing and availability then simply change the current price to FREE and save your settings within 1-2 days your changes will be reflected to App Store automatically.
Check Out The Screenshot
We intend to launch a free iPhone/iPad app on the AppStore.
The content will actually be accessible thanks to a subscription model (login/pwd authentication in iPhone app).
The subscription (about 100$ a month) is handled via a dedicated web server.
If used without subscription, this app will provide minimum value.
Does anyone know if this kind of subscription model can be rejected by Apple ?
I know some apps follow this model, but I'd like to have your thought on this before starting in this direction.
Thanks for your answer.
This is fine AFAIK - As long your app is free and you put in the description that it requires a subscription to whichever service. When you submit the app, you'll need to hand over details to a test account to Apple so that they can test it, but other than that it's no hassle at all.
I know of an app which works just like that on the app store right now - Spotify for iPhone. It's a music playing app which streams music from the web - but you need a Spotify premium account. When you first open the app, you have to sign in, and if you don't have a premium account it just tells you that you're not allowed in!
Javawag
There are plenty of apps which only work if I have an account somewhere, and some for which I have to pay for that account so, without knowing the specifics, there is nothing which immediately rules out your subscription model. There are even Apple apps, iDisk for example, which are useless if you don't have a $100 mobile me subscription.
If there are issues you can look at selling your subscription as an in app purchase (apple will take their 30% which should make them happy) or look at making the app more functional without the subscription.
Either way, when submitting for approval make sure to set up a sample account with a full subscription that the apple testers can use (there is space in the submission for including logins for this kind of thing).
Our app, previously approved, update was just rejected because we sell subscriptions through our website. (We have been doing this for 15 years, without giving Apple 30% of our money.) They are requiring that all subscriptions for iphone/ipad content go through in-app purchasing. I guess we will be looking at building a browser based app instead.
Cheers,
Gerry