subscriptions between website and multiple apps

Question

nodsworth OP

Created Jul ’15

Replies 3

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We've built an app and are currently managing subscriptions via the website and with credit card.

Our business model requires the user to buy a base subscription then pay additional smaller subscription cost per user.

In exploring in-app purchases, I see that "In-App Purchase items cannot be shared across applications".

We currently have an iPad app that acts as a window to our existing web service and we're developing an iphone app with a different view into our service.

If someone uses in-app purchase to pay for a base subscription on the iPad, will we be in violation if we let their login work on the iphone app also?

Thanks.

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Answer 1

PBK OP

Jul ’15

First, do they need to be different apps - and app can run on both iPhone and iPad.

Second, yes you will be violating the 'guideline' but Apple may not object.

And third, check out 11.14 - if that applies then your use under the second app is not relying on a required IAP purchase that the second app failed to make - instead it is an allowed use of downloads that the user has rights to because of the IAP rights they purchased using the first app (it is sort of like if they had purchased the rights through PayPal not through IAP).

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Answer 2

nodsworth OP

Jul ’15

Hi PBK,

Thanks for the response. To answer your questions:

First, do they need to be different apps - and app can run on both iPhone and iPad.

First - yes, unfortunately, a universal app in this case isn't ideal. The use cases and UX are very very different. Each app is to target a different set of users and combining all of this functionality into one app just doesn't seem ideal from a development, maintenance, and user experience standpoint.

Second, yes you will be violating the 'guideline' but Apple may not object.

Second - this is the part that's infuriating. Is there any way for me to ask "officially" before I put in the development effort related to the iap?

I have another question related to IAP but I'll start a new thread since it's not quite in this same vein of discussion.

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Answer 3

PBK OP

Jul ’15

I assume that 11.14 doesn't work for you.

I have great faith in the reasonableness of Apple after you get beyond one or two levels that are focused entirely on efficiency rather than reasonableness. I believe the issue with not using IAP on app 1 to unlock code on app 2 is that it opens the door to flim flam. That is not your case here. I would go forward. If you get rejected (high efficiency), submit an appeal and explain why you did it the way you did it. My guess is that you will have no trouble once the appeals folks (reasonableness) get your case.

And if the iPad makes the original base case purchase in app 1 and each iPhone makes one of those smaller purchases from app 2, I would expect the review folks won't flag it as an issue especially if app 2 is reviewed while it has "base case" access because the IAP from app1 was purchased before submission of the app.

Good luck....

Oh, the answer to your question is, no, there is no way to get a pre-approval/non approval from App Review prior to submission.

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