Overview

To review an overview of the subscription offering this is a good article: Apple's press release. The key points are:

• You can sell a recurring subscription within the app for which Apple will retain 30% of the revenue
• If you sell a subscription to your iPad app outside the app, you must also offer the same or better subscription within the app
• You must not include links within the app to allow your users to purchase a subscription outside the app
• You can offer subscribers a free incentive in return for sharing information with you - name, email address, postcode

Note: Newsstand apps must offer a recurring subscription, even if this is a special free subscription, to allow users to sign up for automatic downloads.

Note: In App Studio you must offer an in-app purchase for each single issue even if you are going to offer a subscription. If you don't, all the issues will be treated as free and no-one will need to buy a subscription.

Set-up an auto-renewable subscription

1. Log into iTunes Connect
2. Click 'Manage Your Applications'
3. Click on your app
4. Click 'Manage In-App Purchases'
5. Click 'Create New'
6. Click 'Select' underneath 'Auto-Renewable Subscriptions'
7. Enter a 'Reference Name' e.g. 'App Studio subscription'
8. Click  'Add Language'
   1. Choose a Language
   2. Enter a 'Display Name'.
      • Note: This displays on the purchasing screens within the app: 'Do you want to subscribe to App Studio for 6 months for £15.99? This subscription will automatically renew until canceled
   3. Enter a 'Display Description' (Note: This is not currently used)
   4. Enter a 'Publication Name' (Note: This is not currently used)
   5. Click 'Save'
9. Click 'Add Duration'
   1. Choose a 'Duration'
   2. Enter a 'Product Id' - it must start with the application bundle id
   3. Choose whether to offer an opt-in incentive and its duration
   4. Choose 'Yes' for 'Cleared for Sale'
   5. Select the 'Price Tier'
   6. Click 'Save'
10. Upload a screenshot following the specifications provided (Screenshots must be at least 320x460 pixels and at least 72 DPI) noting it will never be displayed!
11. Click 'Submit'
12. Click 'Done'

Set up a free subscription

Follow the instructions above but choose 'Free subscription' at step 6. You will be asked for all the same information except for a duration and price tier.

Provide information to App Studio

Currently you will need to send the following information to App Studio for each subscription you want to include within the app. It can be displayed within the app once it has been approved by Apple:

• Apple Product Id
• Label for the store page e.g. '6 month subscription'
• Promo text for display beneath the subscription e.g. 'Save 25%' (optional)
• In-App Purchases Shared Secret. On the 'Manage your Apps' page in iTunes Connect there is a section of links at the bottom titled 'Manage Your Apps'. Click the 'In-App Purchases Shared Secret' link and provide the key on the App Studio application request form.