Wednesday, September 18, 2019

IAP Using Audible Credits

App Store Review Guidelines:

3.1.1 In-App Purchase:

If you want to unlock features or functionality within your app, (by way of example: subscriptions, in-game currencies, game levels, access to premium content, or unlocking a full version), you must use in-app purchase. Apps may not use their own mechanisms to unlock content or functionality, such as license keys, augmented reality markers, QR codes, etc. Apps and their metadata may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase.

[…]

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.

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.

And yet it looks like you can now purchase audiobooks in-app, using Audible credits.

Steve Moser:

Wow, Apple must have changed its stance on using credits in iOS apps not bought through IAP. What will we see next — using coins in iOS games that were not bought through IAP?

You can’t always directly buy credits for money:

If you’ve run out of credits for your Gold/Platinum monthly or annual Audible membership before your renewal, occasionally a special offer will appear where you can purchase additional credits at a discounted rate.

But this does seem like a significant change that could be applied to other types of content.

Previously:

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