

Ask HN: Apple iOS app rejection - what now? - daviding

We're a startup that's just launched a new business, and part of that is some useful mobile apps to help take pictures from your phone and upload them to our webapp service. The photos aren't vital to the app, but it's a nice feature, especially since the stuff being captured is household things, i.e. for insurance records etc. so a walk-around phone is handy.<p>We submitted our iPhone/iPad app and it got (quickly) rejected by Apple for the reason we don't provide in-app billing. We're deciding what to do next so wanted to hear opinions from here.<p>Options would include:<p>- Free Plan. We don't currently have a free plan (just a trial) and our model doesn't really fit with that, but is that how other web connected apps get approved, i.e. is Evernote and Dropbox type apps available because they do in-app purchasing or can you argue if you have a free level of service?<p>- Do In-App billing. We use Recurly and have a great subscription service with lots of options. The work would be then to set up a dual system just for Apple?<p>- Forget iOS and just run with our Android version we have.<p>All advice appreciated!
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eridius
There is precedent in the app store for apps which require a subscription to
work, and yet do not offer in-app subscriptions. For example, Kindle and
Netflix. The way they comply with the guidelines is by removing _any_ link to
the website where you can sign up. If there is no way for the user, via
tapping in your app, to give you money outside of in-app purchasing, then the
app should pass muster.

So you basically have 3 viable choices. The first is to offer in-app
subscriptions, and live with the 30% cut that Apple takes. Note that this
option is going to be the most convenient for your users, if you care about
that sort of thing.

The second is to offer in-app purchasing for 43% more than the regular price.
After Apple's 30% cut, this will leave you with the original subscription
amount. Note that this is not particularly user-friendly because they're now
paying 43% more for the same service.

The third is to remove any and all links to your site from the app. Make it
very clear in your app description that this app requires an active
subscription, and live with the fact that some users are braindead and will
give you 1 star because your app doesn't work for them (because they don't
have a subscription).

~~~
daviding
Thanks for that. The third option is exactly how we did the app, i.e. no sign
up or pay link, just a login. Plus we very prominately say 'You need an active
subscription'.

We obviously wouldn't want the 1-star reviews, but in some ways it's ok as the
phone app is really just a utility helper for then main task at hand (photos)
so it's not as if the app is useful without the subscription.

Do you have any app examples of the third option we could cite?

~~~
eridius
The Kindle app removed all links to their online store. I believe Netflix
presents you with just a login form (if you haven't already logged in). I
believe Dropbox does as well.

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hristiank
I guess really the question is can your service(business plan) afford 30
percent cut.

Start out with a free plan and later on add in-app billing if you think there
is a market for it.

The appeal process is pretty strict and unless you change something your app
would be rejected again. Apple is trying to make a point here and it will not
allow discrepancies in their policy enforcement.

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msencenb
Apple has pretty extensive support for monthly subscriptions via in-app
purchases at this point and have already invented most of the wheel for you.
Take a peek at those docs and see if it fits your model.

~~~
daviding
Thank you. Yes, we're going over those. It's a shame as we like our current
solution, and this would be purely just for apple (and we don't sell books)

We were wondering about bothering to appeal even - has anyone actually 'won'
or don't you even get to talk to someone?

------
sjd
What you can't accomplish something like this with a mobile webapp? You can
certainly provide upload capabilities.

~~~
daviding
Access to the camera. The mobile app's only existence is really because of the
ability to take pictures and preview/upload them in one easy step.

