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i'm working on an magazine app for iPad and i've been asked to build a system to allow users to subscribe for, say, a year. I have to say... I didn't quite get the concept of Subscription... Anyway, there's my point: should I implement a real Subscrition model of payment or can I go with a standard consumable one? I mean, if for 20euros I allow the app to download a secret code, say a boolean, which enable the download of all future issues of the year, why should I prefer the subscription model?

thanks to all, Marcello

Marcello
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  • thank to all. I have to admit, i'm new to iphone development, so please, be patient... Anyway, as I was telling to Deeps, the difference between consumable and subscription seems to be the system of auto-renewing. But I red also somewhere that, if you use the subscription model, you should provide the content purchased to all users' devices. Do you know how exactly it works? thank you – Marcello Jul 01 '11 at 15:45
  • Apple provide a huge amount of documentation in their developer center. Don't go by what you "read somewhere" or ask random people on the Internet, listen to [what Apple say](http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/StoreKitGuide/Introduction/Introduction.html). – Jim Jul 01 '11 at 16:11

4 Answers4

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There's no need to "build a system to allow users to subscribe" since there is already a subscription billing service offered by Apple:

Apple Launches Subscriptions on the App Store

CUPERTINO, California—February 15, 2011—Apple® today announced a new subscription service available to all publishers of content-based apps on the App Store℠, including magazines, newspapers, video, music, etc. This is the same innovative digital subscription billing service that Apple recently launched with News Corp.’s “The Daily” app.

Jamie Dixon
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Security is the main reason you want to use the Subscription service. There are places out there where poorly made apps which have 'secret code' which just needs to be enabled have been pre-packaged which allows people to bypass buying.

Dororo
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Not doing things the right way and coming up with a half-arsed workaround because "you don't quite get it" is hardly a good attitude.

Doing things the right way means that the customer gets billed until they take action to cancel their subscription. It should be obvious why that is preferable to a one-time fee that expires.

Also, Apple may have a problem with you bypassing the method they've provided. There's an entire section on in-app purchases/subscriptions in the review guidelines that you are coming dangerously close to breaking.

Jim
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The MAIN difference is Apple is responsible to auto-renew subscription every time it expired. So you should go for In-app purchase subscription type.

Deeps
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  • ok, that's a good point. Just to really understand, the difference between consumable and subscription it's this system of auto-renewing. But I red also somewhere that, if you use the subscription model, you should provide the content purchased to all users' devices. Do you know how exactly it works? thank you – Marcello Jul 01 '11 at 15:35