With apple's in-app purchase approval system, is it not possible to have new in-app purchase content available every day? I've read in various places that the process typically takes 1-2 days .. sometimes longer. I know the typical answer to this would be to create a back log, but we're working with time-sensitive content and need it to be delivered every day (think newspaper-esk). What's the next best solution other than back logging?
Any ideas?
Use the same in-app purchase identifier for rotating consumables.
It might be against Apple's policies, though it's highly unlikely that your app will be reviewed regularly after it's approved. I recommend checking the developer agreement before you move ahead with this.
Several years later ...
A good way to do this is to submit several in app app purchase items ahead of time via iTunesConnect. I recommend you submit these IAPs at the time of your app submission. If you have any IAPs waiting for review at the time your app is being reviewed, they will also get reviewed at the time.
Related
I have some doubts about Newsstand/In-App Purchase that I really can not figure out. I'll try to be concise.
Scenario: magazine app that must offer the user the option to buy (in addition to subscriptions) a single issue. The issues will be released weekly, so even after the publication of the app.
My doubts (operational rather than technical) are related to how to deal with in-app purchases when the app has already been approved. How to manage the publication of future issues?
I thought it was enough to upload the new issues on my web service and then create a new product in the "In-App Purchase" section of iTunes Connect (because Apple says that individual magazine issues are non-consumable items), but how long will it take before the issue is on sale?
If in-app purchases (inserted after the app has already been approved) are subject to approval, it's almost impossible to meet deadlines of weekly publications...
How do apps (like Wired or various newspapers) sell individual issues?
Thank you in advance
Sorry if i'm not understanding you question but you want to know how to release new issues of your magazine?
This might help:
https://itunesconnect.apple.com/docs/NewsstandAtomFeedSpecification.pdf
Sorry if im wrong
EDit: also if you need help with the app itself apple created a video here
Anticipating future IAP products to make them approve, and activating them at the right time
I am trying to submit my first iPhone app that has in-app purchasing features. Needless to say, I have been banging my head against the wall for a while. I have read through several tutorials, such as: http://troybrant.net/blog/2010/01/in-app-purchases-a-full-walkthrough/ and http://blog.mugunthkumar.com/coding/iphone-tutorial-%E2%80%93-in-app-purchases/ but it seems these are outdated? For instance, I can't find where the developer is to reject the submission on iTunes connect.
Additionally, I am submitting the app the in-app purchase features included in the bundle(I don't have them stored on the server- I just want to unlock the code when the user purchases the feature). What is the best way to do this?
Thanks!
Some of the information in the linked tutorials is in fact outdated: I could create in app items in iTunes connect without having to submit (and reject) a binary first. Just be sure NOT to submit your items for review while you are testing. Also changes to the items (e.g. price tier) have been processed almost immediately and I did not had to wait 24 hours.
To unlock your feature, you may use storing and retrieving the purchased status in NSUserDefaults . But this could easily be tempered with by users with jailbreak or acces to the apps folder. Have a look at http://maniacdev.com/2011/08/open-source-ios-keychain-wrapper-for-easily-securing-user-data-for-your-app/ . This offers a simple way to store data in the keychain. Still this will not prevent someone to 'hack' your app and enable the purchased feature without actual purchase, but it's not that easy...
In-App Purchase development is definitely a pain point in iOS development - their sandboxing model for this is ridiculous.
Needless to say - the articles you're reading are still up to date. The developer reject is definitely the way to go (I think can do from within the binary details). One thing to remember is that you need to have accepted the appropriate contracts and tax schedules also - if you haven't then the store "just doesn't work".
One thing that caught me: when you submit your final version of the app - make sure you tick the in-app purchases to be included; else the in-app purchases won't be reviewed (and accepted)!
Update: Although it's pretty long... you may want to flick through this: https://itunesconnect.apple.com/docs/iTunesConnect_DeveloperGuide.pdf
Explains how to developer reject etc.
I have a paid app at the App Store. I want to convert this app to a free app that offers some content with in-app purchase that the paid app used to contain. How do I ensure that the price change happens at the same time as the version change (that includes the in-app functionality)?
I know that I can specify both the date for version release and the date for price change but if they don't happen at the same time, I'll end up with customers that either:
1) Get the new version and have to pay for it and then pay even more when unlocking features with in-app purchase
or
2) Get the old version for free and don't have to pay for anything since the old version doesn't have in-app purchase for the features. Then people who don't get all for free will be sad and say "how come he got all for free and I have to pay for the same features?"
You will probably just have to monitor the approval process. Take notice when the app goes into review and set the app to be free a day or two after. Otherwise, you are basically taking a shot in the dark unfortunately.
There are several things I wish that Apple would do differently with App Submission, this is now also added to my list.
Actually there is a better way. Set you update to 'developer release'. Then when it's passed review, release it. It will change status to 'Processing for App Store'. Go in to the Rights and Pricing menu and set the availability date to some time in the future, so you're app is no longer available. Then, when the update changes state to 'Ready for Sale' go back in to Rights and Pricing, set the price tier to Free and make it available any time in the past. That way there's no risk of anyone getting screwed over.
If you download the iTunes Connect app, you'll also get a message when the update changes status from 'Processing for App Store' to 'Ready for Sale'. Easy :)
I have been looking around for an answer for a specific question but just got hints for it here and there. I want to know when i submit an app for review for the AppStore:
First, how long does the review process usually take? I know that it may vary but just want to have rough estimate if possible
Second, when an app is accepted does it go automatically to the app store or the developer has the control over when to release it there?
Cheers
AF
check out details, which is my recent app on appstore,
It take 1 week for approval , As I remember, it was taken 3 days too once.
Time taken to publish is all in their hand.
App will be publish directly to appstore.
But you can remember the option for publish by you or apple :) at the time of submitting app
From my experience review takes about 2 weeks recently, but it varied from 2 days to about a month in the past.
When you submit an application you have an option - whether to make application available on appstore immediately after it was approved by Apple, or hold it before developer does that manually, so if you did not select that option then Application should be published on Appstore by default. (See pages 75-76 in iTunesConnect Guide (warning - large pdf file here))
Apple doesn't offer promotional codes for in-app purchases. What's the best way to let users try the features or content unlocked by in-app purchases for free, while complying with Apple's Developer Guidelines?
The idea is to allow a special set of users (reviewers, key fans, etc.) to access the content or features offered as in-app purchases without paying.
Examples of apps that worked around this limitation would be much appreciated.
You could submit a version of your application that has all features unlocked by default.
Submitted apps have a publish date that you can set when you submit (and I believe you can change this on the fly as well) you could simply prevent the app from being published in the App store but still be able to give promotional codes for it.
Promo codes apply to a specific app version, so when users redeem promo codes for a version of an app that hasn’t been released yet, they download the prerelease version.
Source
Something like shareware? An app, that has a subset of features enabled until in-app purchase? Apple allows it now.
As example. We've a puzzle game, that has 12 difficulty levels. 4 or 5 of them are available for free and others are unlocked after in-app purchase.
I'm working on this now.
What I'm doing is I generate a random code/guid and store that on my webService's DB. Then give that code to who ever you want. They enter that code and it calls the web service passing the code, and device UDID. The webService returns another code indicating if that promocode was valid. If valid then the app will add that purchase to NSUserDefaults or Core Data (however you keep track of purchases).
If you don't have a server up and running (say the content is already in the app bundle) and you don't want a server would require you making an algorithm to generate keys that your app validates. However this is far less robust. Using a web service allows you to prevent 1 working key from being distributed between all users, as you can tie 1 promo code to 1 device.