I would like to make a contest for my iPhone and iPad apps users. I would like to give some bonus content for winners as a reward. Normally that content is paid (for eg. additional levels) and it's available via in-app purchase, so I'm trying to find any way to give them something like normal promo codes. (Promo codes are not working with in-app purchase). Is that possible to set up Test Accounts for testing in app purchase after going live (my apps are already in the App Store), so I could configure them for winners? If not, what would be solution as an alternative for promo codes? Many review sites are asking for promo codes too, so answer would be helpful in other cases. Thanks
Related
I'd like to offer 100% discounts via one time use coupons on IAPs. Can it be done? And more than just 100 of them, which I think is the number of coupons Apple allows. My goal is to generate future IAPs by introducing players who don't use them to try them.
From what I've been able to tell, it seems that Apple doesn't officially allow IAP promotion codes.
From: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#purchasing-currencies
1.1 Apps that unlock or enable additional features or functionality with mechanisms other than the App Store will be rejected
11.2 Apps utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App will be
rejected
See also
1) https://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/37264-rejected-by-apple-cause-of-promo-code-custom-solution/
2) How to create a promotion code for iOS in-app purchases
If you still want to power ahead and do this, one way is a URL scheme. Briefly, you enable your app to respond to something like: myAppName://... when that URL is present in an email being read using the Apple Mail app, or when that URL is typed into Safari. Then, your app examines the URL parameters and pulls out, say a code identifying the type of comped purchase (e.g., perhaps consulting a back-end server), and makes the comped purchase available to the user.
See also:
A) Free iOS in app purchase for some users/devices
B) Rewarding iOS app beta testers with in app purchase?
C) iOS In-App Purchase, sending to another account (gifting?)
D) Providing a discount code for an iOS in-app-purchase
we are developing an iPhone app as an extension of a classifieds system (web site). On that web site users can buy (prepaid) credits and use them to boost and promote their ads. Will Apple reject our app if we implement consumption of credits? We are not gonna allow buying the credits, just using them (users will still have to buy credits on the web site).
Only worrying thing I found is item 11.2 in App Store review guidelines:
11.2 Apps utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App will be
rejected.
Is there a way to contact Apple directly regarding this question?
And a add-on question. I suppose we can implement a payment gateway system like Amazon and Ebay and get a way with buying credits? I don't see any restrictions in guidelines regarding non in-app purchase system.
"In-app purchase" is only required to purchase content or extra-functionality or extra feature or to remove any type of limitations inside the application. To achieve these things you shouldn't use any other external purchase mechanism (per App Store review guidelines ยง11.2).
In your application, the user will only use the available credits which are already bought on your website, so there is not an issue, although you shouldn't provide any type of link to your website inside your application.
Genererally "will Apple reject this if..."-questions can only be answered as such:
Apple does as they like. If they feel this in some way breaks the review guidelines, they will reject it and tell you, but you have no way of knowing for sure until you have submitted the actual app. In your case, I can't see why they would ban it, as you are not able to use real money within the actual app, but as I said, you don't know.
If you want to try to get an answer from Apple, you can try to contact them from this page.
I finally got an answer from Apple. It took a while and it wasn't worth a wait. I think Siba was right, but I'll get back to you after we submit our app just to verify everything.
Apple replied:
Thank you for taking the time to contact us about your app design and concept questions. I understand that you would like to know if you
implement consumption credits into your app would be acceptable for
your app.
While we cannot pre-approve apps, we can address compliance questions
about specific App Store Review Guidelines or sections of the iOS
Developer Program License Agreement (PLA). I understand that this may
be a little frustrating and I apologize for any inconvenience this may
cause, however, we may only answer specific questions concerning the
following resources, unless the app is submitted for review so that we
may test the functionality.
I have an application that my client wants to give away to customers for free.
To get the full functionality, the customers would have to fill in a code.
Other customers will need to do an In App Purchase to get the full functionality.
Is this allowed by Apple or will I bump into app store restrictions.
Tried to find it, but haven't found a decent answer.
Anyone tried it before ?
Thanks !
Please see this other SO answer:
Redeem codes for inapp purchase items
I dont think it is possible to do what you want. Either everyone has to enter a code, or everyone has to do an in-app purchase.
You could also have both of these options available inside the app, but that may seem messy and informal for customers
I would say you could ask the user for a login (email + password). You could then connect to a server of yours and check the credentials. If the server knows this user because you host a list of all the users allowed to use the premium options for free, you could unlock your premium features. Otherwise, you ask Apple for the In App Purchase precedure.
Merry Christmas. I have two questions on In App Purchase.
iAP application process: do I need to submit my iAP items applications, wait for Apple's responses, then build my app accordingly, or, I can just create some iAP items, build them into my app, then after everything's done, submit my binary to Apple?
Intermediary currency: on Apple's documentation I found these sentences:
"You may not offer items that represent intermediary currency because it is important that users know the specific good or service that they are buying."
However, I found a few apps on the App Store offering its users with different kinds of intermediary currency. I'm confused. Is this a gray area in which we developers can play some tricks?
Thanks in advance.
Di
You need to add in-app purchases to iTunes Connect, and wait for apple approval to be able to sell them from real application.
However, you can debug/test them without that approval, via sandbox environment.
I cannot say a lot about that 'intermediary currency' and what Apple actually mean. A lot of games uses in-app purchases to sell in-game 'coins', and everything works fine.
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