I currently have an app that is divided into multiple apps. I'd like to combine them all into a single application with the ability to use In App purchasing to download the parts currently held in multiple apps. Is there a way that I can allow people who currently own the individual apps to somehow make an In App purchase that unlocks the parts in the single app?
The most obvious solution is to use a web server holding user accounts and in-app purchases. If you require an offline solution, I will suggest you to use iCloud Keychain, you can mark your apps sharing the same keychain in XCode.
To enable keychain sharing:
-Select the target in XCode
-Go to capabilities
-Enable keychain sharing
-Add a group with same name for all apps.
After all your apps will be able to reach this shared data.
If you are not familiar with keychain this tutorial will be a good start. Keychain is not that complicated.
EDIT: woops didn't even notice I'm answering a 3 year old question.
Related
I have five iphone apps which have similar interface/functionality but for the use of five different business persons.They are doing same type of business. So the similarity in app. The app will be free to use by public.
Apple says
1. Apps which appear confusingly similar to an existing Apple product or advertising theme will be rejected
2. Developers "spamming" the App Store with many versions of similar apps will be removed from the iOS Developer Program.
3. Apps that look similar to apps bundled on the iPhone, including the App Store, iTunes Store, and iBookstore, will be rejected.
Is these guidelines applicable for apps under enterprise app deployment ? Is it possible publish apps under Ad-hoc mode and give link of the app through another website?
if your app is same interface functionality. just add a db to it for different people. No need to publish it more than once. and issue regarding duplication on apstore, they already have billions of apps so no care for what purpose your app is. just differentiate the database as your goal is manage users separately.
I'm thinking about building a series of iOS apps.
Each app will be purchased individually but I'd like in-app purchases within any of the apps to be universal. ie, pay for it in one app of the series, it's available in any other apps installed to use too.
Is this possible without forcing the user to create an account of any sort?
Many thanks
Answer is NO, Reason is all your IAP are identified by the bundle identifier and that is unique for each application, as all the IAP's are specific to the bundle identifier you can not share those.
There is another way of achieving what you asking for, I don't know all your requirements still I would NOT follow this solution, still I am writing to know some options.
You can sharing the keychain across the applications and keep track of purchases across apps.
Keychain data is not deleted on deletion of the app
If user resets/restore phone keychain data can get deleted and you will be at dead end, as user has to restore the content from your 1st application to use in 2nd application... (yeah confusing.. right ?)
There may be some other complications I am missing right now.. good luck
My company bosses want to create a native version of a currently web-based app that will be available to their existing customers (currently a few thousand).
They say it is imperative that the application be available for downloading from the app store.
However the app would only be of any use to customer who already have an account (and would be useless to anybody else who downloaded the app).
Is this actually possible to submit such a thing to the app store?
There are dozens of Apps in the App Store that where they are only usable if you are an existing customer. Look at all the banking related ones for example.
AFAIK, you cannot restrict the intended users when distributing through the AppStore.
What you can do is apply for an iOS Developer Enterprise Program, though you'd be installing the app directly to the devices (requires physical presence of the devices).
You could also use a service like TestFlight, though their terms probably just allow deployment for testing purposes.
What I'd go for is getting the app to the AppStore anyway, as long as your app doesn't include confidential content. You could advise in the description not to install the app unless they're your company's clients.
So I already have 2 versions out on appstore..
One app is a free but limited version.
The other is a paid unlimited. The basic layout..
I have had questions from companies wanting to buy the app and give to their employees. So they don't have to buy the app with their personal accounts..
So I was thinking of releasing a 3rd version that prompts the user for a license key on first start, if the key is valid the app starts and works until reinstalled or w/e. If the key is invalid the app just keeps prompting for a valid license.
Now I remembered reading somewhere that apple wouldn't allow apps that had no public function or something like that. Which this app wont have unless u have a valid license..
But since I do also provide a valid public version of the app, will this one get accepted? Or have they removed theese rules?
Any insight in the matter would be helpful!
Edit:
Forgot to mention that the reason im looking to use the license is because i have the same app for android and want the companies to be able to buy for both device types, not just apple devices.
Thanks
I believe you should use the B2B functionality in ITunes Connect: http://developer.apple.com/support/ios/volume-purchase-program.html
Also check: https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/volume/
I did something very similar to this some time ago, they seemed ok with it (then at least), they just asked for a license key in the complementary info (during the app submission) to go through all their usual validation tests.
Klassmating has an app in the app store that has no public functionality unless you are a student at a specific university. So it seems like you can have apps like that.
Without knowing exactly, I would assume Apple would reject such an app from the store (mainly because it would allow you to sell applications "behind their back" - i.e. sell licence keys and not using in-app purchase) :-)
However, there are two possible solutions to your problem that come to my mind:
Create and distribute gift codes (would be a problem if you had to give out too many of them).
Do an ad-hoc distribution of your app to the companies. Basically they would need your application bundle and an ad-hoc mobile provision file. Then they can simply install your application by dragging it to iTunes.
There are different official iPhone application distribution methods.
In which for your current requirement,I suppose you can use the Custom B2B Apps,where you can deliver apps directly to your business customers who have a Volume Purchase Program account.You can get more information from the link provided above.
cheers!
Yes, I too have had an app in the app store which works like this. You have to provide them with a key/licence to access the app functionality so they can test it fully.
I've had an app rejected for this very reason - required a username and password, not a licence key, but was free. They said in contravened the licence terms regarding in app purchases.
Mine allowed time limited free trials from within the app, but full functionality was restricted to purchases outside the app. Apple wanted their 30% cut of the subscription cost so it was no dice for us.
On the other hand, the app store review process is seemingly entirely random, so who knows.
I have developed five apps with name of five different football teams. Which shows event schedule of respective team. Apple rejected all of them and giving reason
"Developers "spamming" the App Store with many versions of similar apps will be removed from the iOS Developer Program"
Now, I have seen following Apps are almost same and available on AppStore
http://itunes.apple.com/pk/app/brookwood-medical-center/id434593012?mt=8
http://itunes.apple.com/pk/app/doctors-hospital-of-manteca/id430928072?mt=8
http://itunes.apple.com/pk/app/doctors-medical-center-modesto/id447790452?mt=8
Now what is developer spamming? Anybody can explain it?
It is not a technical question, but it is probably related to your code, so :
I think Apple rejects your applications for that reason when you use the same code base (or a close code base) for multiple applications, presented as different apps.
they must be thinking your are creating the same app under different names to gain more visibility in the store.
You should contact them and try to explain your case, or change your apps code and UI significantly enough to prove them these apps are different.
Create one football app and allow the user to buy teams as in app purchases.
Let the user have one team included in the price of the app.
Now, I have seen following Apps are almost same and available on AppStore
This is a common mistake. You can not use the existence of apps in the iOS App Store as any sort of precedent. These apps may have been accepted by accident, or under a previous interpretation of Apple's rules, which will not apply to your submissions.
Go by the current interpretation of the App store guidelines.
Maybe sell your apps to the respective teams so that you won't be submitting multiple apps, or running into any trademark licensing problems.
"Developer spamming" as explained by App Store Review Guidelines:
Developers "spamming" the App Store with many versions of similar apps
will be removed from the iOS Developer Program