How can I sell paid apps bundled with a book?

)I have the following scenario: we have an app that users need to pay for. But we also want to sell the app bundled with a book meaning there is a code / voucher in the book that can be used to use the app for free. Unfortunately we haven't found any good way to address this scenario yet:

a) make the app a paid app and use Apple Promo Codes for the books - not good, because the number of promo codes per app and version is limited. And altough Ihaven't found anything about this I would guess that apple limits the commercial use of promo codes.

b) make the app itself free but require users to make an in-app purchase to access most of the content. Alternatively make it possible to enter a code to access that same content. The code comes with the book and is created and maintained by us. negatives: a lot of effort to maintain the promo codes and handle the in-app purchases. This seems to be okay from a terms-and-conditions point of view since "3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps" of the app-store review guidelines allows the usage of voucers to access content bought outside of the IAP (compare https://forums.developer.apple.com/message/157920#157920


I'm really wondering: are we the first one with this need? is there maybe already a solution to this problem we are not aware of? We do not want to rip Apple of their 30% share of app sales. But there doesn't seem to be a supported solution for this.

any ideas? thanks

Thomas

Replies

>since "3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps" of the app-store review guidelines allows the usage of voucers


Except that today's ASRG 3.1.3(a) makes no specific mention of 'voucher', only 'previously purchased'; also note that 3.1.3 has been re-written since that 2016 thread you linked.



3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps 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.



>b) make the app itself free but require users to make an in-app purchase to access most of the content.


Be careful. If app review sees your 'app' as a book, they will push back and steer you back towards doing just a book. It also seems silly to replicate reading an existing ibook (?) inside an app...what is it you're really trying to accomplish?


Is your drive to combo a book and app just a marketing scheme? Why does the book need an app? What does the app intend to do that differentiates it from an existing book?


My advice is to pick one and stick with it vs. straddling the fence. If doing a book won't allow you to fully express your ideas, then do an app. If an app is just another way to sell the book, put that effort into improving and better marketing the book, instead.

I see two ways forward.


1) create your own website and store the information there. Have the user sign into an account on your website using the voucher in the book. Distribute the iOS app for free and have it access the website as a reader app.


2) instead of selling the book for, say $20, sell the book for $18 and the app for $2. Then a user only needs to purchase the app for $2. Or if that value distribution is incorrect, sell the book for $10 and the app for $10.

Hi PBK,

thanks for your answer. Regadring option 1: why should the voucher be redeemed in an extra web site and not within the app? Would it from your persective be a violation of the Apple Guidelines to redeem the voucher directly inside the app?

I have found other apps which are doing exactly that, e.g. apemap - an app forhiking maps.

In the app yuo can either buy additional offline maps via the app store (in-app purchase) or enter a license code for a map you have already bought by other means. But there is no link / info how or where to buy these licenses outside of the app store, altough a shop exists: http://apemap.com/shop3/

You want to operate under 3.1.3a which allows access to 'previously purchased content' and requires that you don't 'target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase'. So it is up to App Review whether or not redeeming the coupon within your app would violate either or both of those restrictions.


3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps 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.

yeah - the joy of iOS reviews. The indivual reviewer decides and you can only guess beforehand what is allowed and what is not...

thanks for your answer