Providing digital content without using in-app purchase

From reading the app store review guidelines and had a look of several well known apps like NY Times, WSJ and Time magazine, it's quite clear that providing digital content consumable within the app requires the use of In-app Purchase as payment method. However I came across an eboook app recently that provides In-app Purchase for subscription as well as single ebook purchase with payment methods like credit card, Alipay and Paypal. The app has been on the store for over a year. I would like to ask if:


(1) the requirements were changed to be more lenient towards providing payment options,

(2) Apple actually allows to provide other payment options if In-app Purchase is provided as well, or

(3) just a case which Apple didn't find out the app provides other payment options


Cheers!

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drec
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Apple has always had the 'reader app' exception - 3.1.3

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PBK
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Thanks a lot for your reply PBK.


May I clarify a bit further? From the mentioned point in the app store review guidelines, as quoted below, looks like it only covers (1) previously purchased (2) content subscriptions, and also (3) consumable items in games. Or this point actually covers new content as well as long as in-app purchase is one of the payment options in the app? As that ebook app allows buying ebooks previously not owned with payment options like those mentioned(Alipay, Paypal).


3.1.3 “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 educational apps that manage student grades and schedules), as well as consumable items in multi-platform games, 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.

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drec
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"may allow a user to access previously purchased content" means the content was purchased before the app grants access. And the "or" means it applies to specific content or that content available because of the purchase of a subscription. Hence I can purchase NetFlix and download and 'read' NetFlix shows sans IAP.

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PBK
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Thanks again PBK.


Yea, think that's why those popular apps are operating as they are now.


So it looks like this point in the guideline leaves purchase of new digial content within the app with means other than IAP unmentioned.


Why that ebook app can allows payment of ebooks by Alipay and Paypal remains a mystery...

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drec
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You wrote:

>So it looks like this point in the guideline leaves purchase of new digial content within the app with means other than IAP unmentioned.


But here is 3.1.3 excerpted:

3.1.3 “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content.......provided that you agree not to directly or indirectly target iOS users (this would be anything "within the app") 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.

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PBK
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