It is being discussed, that the first variant of the app will be working only with activation codes and without user accounts.The approach would be to develop a backend that delivers content for free to the aforementioned app.If a user has an activation code, he can download and locally view additional content. The codes are still free of charge and not user-bound.The app would be primarily advertised by the activation codes and their operation manual. This way there would be no implicit or explicit advertisement of purchasing methods other than the in-app purchase.https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#reader-appsApps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video, access to professional databases, VoIP, cloud storage, and approved services such as classroom management apps), provided that you agree not to directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, and your general communications about other purchasing methods are not designed to discourage use of in-app purchase.If the activation codes would be distributed by a magazine, for example, and the app would only grant access to the magazine's content, the app could be defined as a "Reader App", correct?

Would you then agree to the blog writer that it is possible to obey the guideline by providing the content in a web based application as well?(https://headway.io/blog/apple-app-store-revenue-keep-a-bigger-piece-of-the-pie-with-web-based-purchases)The “reader” provision is only technically valid if you have the same content available on the web for the user to login and see.Or would it be more applicable to use the activation codes for access to a group, which then provides access to the app content?(https://headway.io/blog/apple-app-store-revenue-keep-a-bigger-piece-of-the-pie-with-web-based-purchases)Unlocking a subscription via a code without in-app purchasing is a non-starter. However, we have had success with passing App Store review when we use a custom code to associate a user to a team (in a sports context, but would work with a more generic “group”, as well). Apple will likely question this, but if you can prove that the content code isn’t facilitating the purchase to unlock content directly, and is just associating the user to the proper group/team to access already purchased content, then you’re fine to run under the provisions of the “Reader” app clause.