Is it allowed to keep in sync auto-renewing subscription in Android and iOS via an online account?
That is to say : in Babbel, if I buy an auto-renewing subscription in Android (with the Android system of purchasing), it will be available on my iOS device.
In the same way, if I buy an auto-renewing subscription on iOS (via IAP), the courses will be available on Android too.
Everything is synced into my Babbel account.
Is it allowed (according to Apple guideline about IAP) so that I can reproduce this system in an app of mine? (The content sold being videos)
Thank you very much,
Jery
Yes. Both app stores have provisions to allow for this. (It's how Kindle, for instance, avoids being kicked out of the App Store even though you purchase content for it from Amazon directly).
There are drop-in libraries like Frac.as that handle the syncing part for you.
Related
I have a web app that works in conjunction with a locally installed desktop app.
Users have the option to upgrade to a premium membership for a monthly fee.
Both apps provide 100% of the functionality of my product(this is important for my question).
To widen my distribution I'm considering adding an android app.
Now, I know that Google generally forces android apps to use their in-app billing.
However, reading the developer terms I see this:
Developers offering products within another category of app downloaded
on Google Play must use Google Play In-app Billing as the method of
payment, except for the following cases: Payment is solely for
physical products
Payment is for digital content that may be consumed
outside of the app itself (e.g. songs that can be played on other
music players).
It seems like the bolded part applies to my product, since
it's not a game
the premium membership can be consumed entirely without the android app(using my desktop or web app)
Am I allowed to publish my android app to Google Play using my own payment processor or will google crack down on me?
You should be fine.
As long as the purchase isn't for something that can only be used inside the app, you're good. Since your purchase option applies across all platforms, you fall under that exception.
Of course, Google being Google, they could take down your app. However, you should just need to appeal that decision and talk to an actual person to get it sorted out.
We are developing a Point of Sale app available on iOS and Android platforms.
Our business model is such that, each user will have to pay us a customised cost based upon the number of his business outlets on half yearly or quarterly basis. Once the user will pay us that cost than he could use our apps on any number of devices, on any platform.
I want to know if it's compulsory to process subscription charge for iOS App through Apple In App Purchases. Or we can process subscription offline and show user a alter message to renew subscription directly from our portal if a user's subscription expires.
This is what my team found in developer Apple guidelines regarding similar situation:
3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services: Apps that operate across multiple platforms may allow users to access content, subscriptions, or features they have acquired elsewhere, including consumable items in multi-platform games, provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app. You must not directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods must not discourage use of in-app purchase.
So it is like confirmation of #siddharth-gupta statement.
Note: this Apple statement for April 2019 -> and can always change. To avoid potential rejection/ban Always verify it with current official Apple Documentation
You can accept payment through your website for the membership, but then you'll have to make sure you don't offer this as a way to pay for the subscription inside your app.
Apple's rule basically states that if you have a digital product in your app (in your case, your subscription), the only way to pay for it should be via Apple's in-app purchases. If instead of using in-app purchases, you redirect the user to pay using any other method, your app risks getting rejected.
I'm planning to add In-App purchases to my Productivity app. Enhanced features are purchase products (e.g., freemium).
I would like to have user access to purchased feature on both Android and iOS, if he has purchased on any one platform. Technically I plan to store purchase information on server and have it retrieved whenever user logs-in on either device, and unlock the feature if already purchased.
Is this allowed in both iOS and Android?
Apple App Store Review Guidelines on Section 11 have this explained.
Points "11.1/11.2" and "11.14" sounds conflicting (or I'm missing something.).
On Android, I do not see this point mentioning in Policies.
If you had any experiences (w.r.t sharing purchase info between devices) that I should take care additionally, any suggestions are welcome.
I'd like to add a note about subscriptions. Here's the quote from Apple guide:
Cross-Platform Considerations
Product identifiers are associated with a single app. Apps that have both an iOS and macOS version have separate products with separate product identifiers on each platform. You could let users who have a subscription in an iOS app access the content from an macOS app (or vice versa), but implementing that functionality is your responsibility. You would need some system for identifying users and keeping track of what content they’ve subscribed to, similar to what you would implement for an app that uses non-renewable subscriptions
Link to Apple docs: https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/StoreKitGuide/Chapters/Subscriptions.html
Quote from Android docs:
You can also build on your existing external subscriber base from inside your Android apps
If you sell subscriptions on a web site, for example, you can add your own business logic to your Android app to determine whether the user has already purchased a subscription elsewhere, then allow access to your content if so or offer a subscription purchase from Google Play if not.
You can implement your own solution for sharing subscriptions across as many different apps or products as you want ...
Link to Android docs:
https://developer.android.com/google/play/billing/billing_subscriptions.html
At the moment of writing this answer (May 23, 2017) Windows Store doesn't have subscriptions but they were announced during the latest BUILD conference. Some details here and here
Subscriptions should be available later this summer.
Answering myself. I submitted to App Store mentioning this case and got it approved. I'm yet to submit to Google Play so not sure about it.
Below the snippet I mentioned in App Store review notes that may help some
If user already purchased premium outside the app(our website or
Android app), then we are unlocking Premium as soon as user
logs-in to the app on iOS device. We do not include any button or link
or information inside this app regarding purchasing outside. If you
have any concern or comments regarding this, please let us know.
Additionally mentioned that our in-app item's service is based on user data at our server and not solely on iOS platform. I think this is the key point that makes sense to reuse user's purchase of our service. However, I do not find this case mentioned clearly in App Store review Guidelines.
[Update for April 2019]
As I've already answer here - from developer Apple guidelines:
3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services: Apps that operate across multiple platforms may allow users to access content, subscriptions, or features they have acquired elsewhere, including consumable items in multi-platform games, provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app. You must not directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods must not discourage use of in-app purchase.
So like #siddharth-gupta explain in his answer:
Apple's rule basically states that if you have a digital product in your app (in your case, your subscription), the only way to pay for it should be via Apple's in-app purchases. If instead of using in-app purchases, you redirect the user to pay using any other method, your app risks getting rejected.
Note: this Apple statement for April 2019 -> and can always change. To avoid potential rejection/ban Always verify it with current official Apple Documentation
I'm somewhat confused by the terms of the developer content policy (here). Is it possible to use Paypal (or any alternative paying method) instead of in-app purchase (iOS) and in-app billing (Android) for a monthly-recurring PREMIUM membership on my app?
A premium member can access more content and doesn't see ads, but by reading the guidelines, it seems that I must use the built-in in-app purchasing program, is that correct or am I just a bad reader?
Thank you in advance.
Dont know about android but your app will be rejected. According to section 11.2 of the App Store Review Guidelines for iOS (Login Required) any app that doesn't use In-App purchase 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
Additionally, note that any purchase of real world goods or services is not allowed as per section 11.3. I suggest reading the whole document, or at least section 11 (and 20 if it's a charity app). That should give you a pretty good idea of what's allowed and what's not.
I have one application developed in both platform, where multiple users see each other online when they are using apps at same time.
User A using iPhone can see User B using android within same application.
Now I want to add one more feature of gifting each other based on certain occasions.
So, is it possible to purchase digital content (eg- smiley icons, cards, etc) via in app purchase process of iPhone application and then gift it to User B who is actually using Android version of application?
Inverse should also be case, where User B (android) purchase digital content and send it to User A(iPhone).
Note: I Know that in-app purchase with in same platform is not a problem, it means if all users are using iPhone or Android then it is not a problem. But in my case I have two different platform.
Any idea ?
Basically, no, you cannot cross-buy items between iOS and Android. However another approach is that you implement the possibillity to buy "credits" in both Android/iOS stores. Then implement and host your own DRM-service, where your users could use/give away credits.
Speaking about the iOS In App purchase and following the App Store Guideline:
Apps utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to
purchase content, functionality, or services in an App will be
rejected
This means that you can't purchase somethings on android and than unlock something on iOS
Apps using IAP to purchase physical goods or goods and services used
outside of the application will be rejected
And this means that you can't purchase something in iOS and use it on Android.
One simple solution is to keep the trace of what is bought on your server that is queried by both Android & iOS.
Teovald is right, I had to do a test with a dating app that is available on iOS and Android, I bought a one month suscription via iTunes and then my one month suscription was also available on Android app too.
Thanks for all your input with this.
Regards
Antonio