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.
Related
This is a conceptual workflow problem. I'm converting an app with an existing user base from Paid to Free with an in-app purchase (FWIAP) to remove ads. The problem I'm trying to avoid is having the existing paid customers updating the app and now suddenly seeing ads and being insulted/assaulted with the "option" to pay again to remove the ads they never bought in the first place.
Luckily, I do have some breadcrumbs in the form of persistent data (pData) that will indicate whether the app was already installed. So my thought is to have the new version check for existing installs before deciding whether to proceed with displaying the ads.
One problem I foresee is later updates then considering all those first-generation users as now eligible for ads again, so I'd have to then add another persistent flag (pFlag) to identify the two groups of users and then hope to remember for even later updates (i.e. third-gen., etc.) to check against the pFlag instead of the pData, as the pData values would have long changed by then.
Does this seem like a sound approach or is there another good known solution to this?
The problem with breadcrumb schemes is with users who upgrade, or have to get a replacement device, and don't have backups to restore from. When they re-download your app, there will be no breadcrumb.
I don't think you'll ever be able to support cases where someone has bought the paid version and installs it directly from the app store on a new device or a device where the app has been deleted.
We recently had this problem in the opposite direction. We have a FWIAP app that customers wanted to be able to purchase through the volume purchase program, which doesn't apply to IAP. So we built a paid version and sell it as a separate app, and it generates as many sales as the FWIAP version, basically doubling revenues (so far).
I think the simplest approach is to just release a separate app. If you convert the existing app, the biggest risk is negative reviews, which could drive down your star ratings and thus downloads. So if you do take that route, I'd have as generous a customer support policy as possible--give anyone who claims to have purchased the paid version a code that lets them unlock the FWIAP version.
But that's likely to be a headache in the future, and from my limited experience, you may make more money by just having both versions in the store.
The paid to free-with-inapp-purchase workflow is supported; it’s referred to as paid-to-fremium and is discussed in the 2013 WWDC video:
Using Receipts to Protect Your Digital Sales https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2013/308/
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.
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'm going to develop an iPhone app, and want to make sure what I want to do is possible, and will be approved by Apple.
I'm going to create an app that will be fully branded on per submission basis. I want to have one app per customer (our customers are companies) with their logo, skin, etc.
This apps will be downloaded and installed by the employees of each one of our customers.
In other words, we would use the same base code (logic doesn't change), but will brand it for each customer. Something similar to what Magento (http://www.magentocommerce.com/product/mobile) does, they created an Ecommerce mobile app, and they brand it to their customer, but the app logic remains the same.
Would Apple consider this as duplicate apps? what is the best way to do it?
Thanks in advance.
I would have said "no problem" until I read:
This apps will be downloaded and
installed by the employees of each one
of our customers
It sounds like what your creating is (a set of) private applications, which are intended to be targeted only to specific users - i.e. employees of the company.
Apple has a separate "enterprise" development program geared towards this - allowing developers to deploy programs for their own company - and do it outside of the App Store.
If your program is very specific towards the companies, Apple may make you do this - rather than putting the Apps up for general consumption on the App store.
See here for more details:
http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/enterprise/
Also:
If your application is really intended for a wider audience, and your could in-fact sell/distribute it a such - you could "skin" the app dynamically. For example, on first-time launch, when you "register" with some "service" - based upon your email address it could download the appropriate skinning graphics.
I can say I know of several companies built on this strategy. The code doesn't change one iota from app to app, only images and names change and they continue to bring in revenue.
EDIT: Note this is against apple policy and if they find out they have been known to ban accounts. They consider it spamming and prefer that you sell one app that provides in app purchases. Directly from their feedback on a particular group of app submissions:
Thank you for submitting your
Photography apps to the App Store.
We've completed the review of your
apps, however, we are unable to post
them to the App Store because they
provide the same feature set and
simply vary the content. Apps that
replicate functionality with different
content create clutter in the App
Store, hindering users' ability to
find apps, and do not comply with the
App Store Review Guidelines
https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/approval/guidelines.html:
2.20 Developers 'spamming' the App Store with many versions of
similar apps will be removed from the
iOS Developer Program
You can now use Apple's Volume Purchase Program to release differently branded versions of the same app to different customers. The app can be free or paid. Each customer must have a DUNS number (Dun & Bradstreet). See the FAQ for details.
I have an app that I was going to release as a free (lite) version with some of the total functionality and a paid full version with advanced functionality. Now, with in app purchase for free apps I am thinking of going that route with the ability to unlock features as needed. I'm not talking about a trial version that expires.I want people to be able to try out the app and get an idea of the interface and functionality before deciding to purchase the full functionality of each major section of the app, basically.
Here's an analogy of what my app would be like. Let's say you have a cooking app that teaches you to cook in different styles. There could be major section for French, Italian, and Chinese. Each section could have some rudiments unlocked in the free app so users can see the UI and basics of the functionality. Then, the user could decide to purchase each major section (or not) individually with in app purchase or buy the full versioned app (with the free/paid model).
One concern I have with offering a free app with in app purchase would be with feedback. I would be very clear in my description in the app store that there is in app purchase for full features but I'm worried that less serious users could/would leave negative feedback. I suppose that's always a risk but curious about any experience with this.
It also seems that it could be a whole lot more complicated keeping track of what portions of the app are locked and unlocked with in app purchase. I know I'd have to have all the code for the full functionality and "lock" the portions that haven't been purchased. How do people usually lock portions of their code? I'm not talking about the process of purchasing (I've read the In App Purchase Programming Guide) but after the purchase has been made. Would I just keep track of what the user has purchased and put conditionals on the sections that are initially locked? Or is there another way to do this as well?
My instinct is for the in app purchase (particularly since users could purchase the major sections that they want individually).
I would highly recommend using the in-app purchasing over having different versions available.
If you have different versions, users need to re-download the whole thing if they want to upgrade. This means they need to have twice the storage space and use up twice the network bandwidth to upgrade.
I don't think your review concerns are founded. If your application is well made and users like it, you'll get positive reviews. To avoid having users be confused, make sure the application clearly states what can be purchased. Also, some people just dislike everything and will give you one star. These users are unavoidable, but if your app is good, there should be enough good reviews to balance them out.
You're correct in your assumption that you would have to have conditionals for locked/unlocked content. However, this shouldn't be an enormous issue. Just persist what the user's purchased in a plist (suggested by Apple) or other persistent storage and make a class that you can query to find out if a particular feature has been purchased.
I suppose it makes sense to have lite app (with unlockable content via IAP) and full paid app. I'm saying this basing on own experience of selling apps on the AppStore. If interested you may want to look at my post in our company blog about IAP vs paid app.
http://bees4honey.com/blog/marketing/in-app-purchase-vs-paid-app/
In two words - having lite version with IAP and paid version will increase a total revenue in comparison with having only lite with IAP or lite+paid.