App rejected - violating 3.1.1

Only Apple can tell you whether or not you are in violation of App Store guidelines. I can give you my opinion, but my opinion will have no value as far as App Review is concerned.

To me, it looks like you are clearly, blatantly even, in violation of 3.1.3(b). Furthermore, neither of the solutions you have proposed will work.

It is a pretty simple equation really. Apple has sold a few hundred million devices and built an ecosystem of some of the best customers in the world. They are offering third party developers access to their customers. There is one catch - you have to pay. You must use Apple’s in-app purchase - end of story.

>We have both iOS and Android.

3.1.3(b) is very new to the guidelines and may be related to various anti-trust issues that are quite complex. Under 3.1.3(b) it is unclear how you can access the 'rights' purchased on such a multiplatform service. But is that what you are doing? Is the intent to provide provide access to an iOS device after a purchase on an Android device or other 'platform'? Or is the intent to get around the 30% IAP fee by purchasing directly? If it is the former, then you can help define the methods allowable under 3.1.3(b) through a QR code or the like rather than logging into a webservice. If it is the latter then please don't bias Apple's willingness to accept QR codes for real multiplatform services by claiming otherwise; pay the 30% - or just charge more for use of an iPhone.

Thank you for responses. I understand, that Apple wants to have things under control and make money. That's okay. And we don't have a problem paying that 30% fee if the user bought a game through the app.

But forcing users to buy stuff for the app only through the iPhone and not through other sources (website, other partners which are promoting the content on their sites) is not fair in my opinion.

It is also not fair for developers to demand one-click access to all of Apple's customers without compensating Apple in any way.

There is no requreiment to force users to pay only through the phone. You can offer any other payment options you want. But you also have to offer in-app purchase. The section of the App Store terms and conditions that you posted explicity says that.

You raise a different issue here....

In the first post you wrote "We have both iOS and Android." In that case, 3.1.3(b) is respecting that users may reasonably make a purchase through the Android system and Apple has now agreed to allow that to happen. Now you write "....buy stuff for the app only through the iPhone and not through other sources (website, other partners which are promoting the content on their sites)." That suggests (please correct me if I read that incorrectly) that 'other sources' are non-app sources and are selling stuff for use intended for the app on the iPhone. This is different; I do not think it falls under 3.1.3(b) which refers to 'multiplatform apps' and implies, I believe, that the purchase is through one of those other platforms not through a non-app 'website source' as you might be suggesting. All, IMHO.

If your intent is to present an integrated multiplatform app, good, go for it. If your intent is to avoid that 30% fee then please, stop wasting your time - instead just mark up your price. iPhone users can sue Apple or switch to Android if they object.