I'm porting my game UPWORDS to an iMessages app and trying to decide on how to charge. My full app has a free version with a banner across the bottom. Is it possible to add a banner to the expanded view in iMessages app? I see some guidelines/rules that prohibit it in extensions but it also says it prohibits IAP which I know is allowed.. so seems the policies I've found my be out of date.
I don't remember reading anything about in-app purchasing being prohibited, but I do remember reading somewhere that ads were prohibited in iMessage apps.
Whether or not Apple prohibits ads (which as CartoonSmart.com thinks they are), you need AdMob/Google to support their ad framework in iMessage extension (as it is not a full app and therefore limited in what they can do). As of right now, I could not find any ad provider with their SDK supporting iMessage extensions. Which of course, if Apple is prohibiting, won't happen as it won't be worth their development time.
I could be wrong. Looks like dank and I both read this..
Keyboard extensions have some additional rules.
They must not:
Include marketing, advertising, or in-app purchases;
But that has to do with Keyboard extensions specifically. Apple might need to weigh in here.
Bigger issue, I don't think you can create a link to open Safari from an iMessage extension (maybe thats a bug, maybe thats intentional). Seems like you can open a webview but the links within don't do anything. At least from what I've tried. So without that functionality, I don't think you'll get much ad support.
It would be great to have a link to the definitive guidelines. It's new territory to figure out how to monitize a stand-alone imessages extension. Sadly, I just don't have much faith in the pay up front model anymore.. wish it worked, I don't like selling ads or tokens
From AdMob support in google groups as of Aug 7, 2017:
Thanks for reaching out to us. Our SDK does not support Messages extension. You can keep an eye out for our release notes or monitor our blogs if this ever changes.
