Services available both on an app and a website : IAP?

Hi everybody,


we have a website and a free app for walkers. On the website, we have a free part and what we call a club (it's like premium access) : people pay for a subscription that allow more functionnalities (such as improved walking route planner and less limitations for example). This is entirely digital. So they pay on the website. Currently, only the free part is available on the app.


We would like to extend this club to our app (we are developping some more improved features on the app) and make it available with only one subscription that can be used both on the website and on the app. So, the questions are :


  • Can it be compliant with the app store review guidelines? How?
  • Can user susbcribe / pay for our club on our website and use the premium access also on the app?
  • If a user want to subscribe to the club via the app, is it mandatory to use IAP?


Regards,


Arnaud

Replies

You might be able to qualify the premium functionality as a ‘reader app’ (3.1.3). If not, then you must use IAP to sell the Premium features.

Doesn't sound like Apple provides a scheme that fits your scheme.


>walking route planner


Sounds like an interactive process. As IAP is for digital content consumed in the app, that obviates the same content being generated and used on your website.


Best to come up with a 3rd party billing method, and since not everything needs an app, a modern HTML5 website may be a better solution, providing both iOS and android support out of the box with no need run a review gauntlet and share profits w/Apple.

Thanks for your answer. I'll try to contact directly Apple in order to get their thought.


PWA are not a solution for us. Technically, there are some issues, for example using GPS with service workers when the smartphone is on standby, that can't be done, particularly on iOS (Android is more 'open').


Arnaud

>I'll try to contact directly Apple in order to get their thought.


Expect they will provide you links to the ASRGs, and back here. Don't expect them to either help build your app or perform a pre-review.


Good luck.

Where did you get with this?

Still no where...


Does someone has something new about this problem?

After reading again the App Store Review Guidelines, I think there is something new. :


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.

Yup - see https://forums.developer.apple.com/message/361925#361925