Apple’s new App Store guide addresses streaming game services, in-app purchases


After several major App Store controversies over the past several months, Apple today announced various changes to the App Store Review Guide. The new guide and updates relate to areas such as in-app purchases, streaming game services and personal financing apps.

Apple Paul says the new 1.1.5 and 1.1..3 guidelines aim to add additional transparency around the types of apps needed to use Apple Paul’s in-app purchase system. There is a clear explanation of person-to-person experiences, which is under scrutiny as businesses with some-19 epidemics shift to virtual classes and experiences.

Apple Pal says that if an app enables the purchase of realtime person-to-person experiences between two people, such as fitness training, medical advice or real estate tours, developers may use non-purchase methods in the app. Apps Pal says that apps that offer one to few or one to many realtime experiences should use in-app purchases.

Related to in-app purchases, reader apps can now offer free tire account creation as well as account management functionality for existing customers. Free apps, such as email services and web hosting act as the sole companion to paid web-based tools, no need to use app purchases unless purchased within the app.

Elsewhere, Apple’s new guidelines place more emphasis on streaming game services and formalize expectations for these services, if they choose to be available on the iPhone and iPad. This should apply to services such as the Microbox .ft’s Xbox streaming game platform and Google Stadia, although Apple Pal does not specifically address specific services with these guidelines.

Streaming games is allowed as long as they follow all the guidelines – for example, each game update must be submitted for review, developers must provide the appropriate metadata for search, purchase in-game to unlock games or apps Is required. , There are always open internet and web browser applications to reach all users outside the App Store.

Apple Pal explains that each streaming game must be submitted to the App Store as an individual app, as it has an App Store product page, appears in charts and searches, and integrates with other iOS features and experiences. Companies, however, may provide a catalog application that includes links to the App Store versions of all games available through their service.

For example, a company might offer 11 apps on the App Store: 10 games and 1 catalog. The Catalog app will connect to the 10 games available in the service through the App Store, but other App Store guidelines related to game and app purchase in the Catalog app must be followed. Apple Pal clarifies that streaming game services “should give users the option to pay for a subscription with an in-app purchase.”

Apple says:

  • Each streaming game must be submitted to the App Store as an individual application so that it has an App Store product page, appears in charts and searches, has user ratings and reviews, can be managed from screenshot and other parental control apps, appears on the user’s Device, etc.
  • Streaming Game Services app can provide a catalog app on the App Store to help users sign up for the service and find games on the App Store, provided that the app follows all the guidelines, including paying users for a subscription. Option included. -Use shopping and signing in with Apple. All games included in the catalog application must link to the individual app store product page.

The new guidelines, centered around streaming game services, come after Microsoft criticized Apple Pal and blamed the company for its decision not to bring its exclusive streaming game service to the iPhone and iPad. The new guidelines formally formalize the requirements for Apple’s Streaming Game category and provide a way for companies such as MicroS.ft and Google to bring their services to the iOS ecosystem, even though the app uses a purchasing system.

Although the details here are still a bit vague, it looks like the game you downloaded from the App Store could essentially be a “rapper” and the actual game is spread over your internet connection. Essentially, you download a “game” from the App Store, sign in with an existing account, or sign up using the Apple Paul app’s purchase system, then play the game from the company’s servers.

There are also new guides for app clips, a new feature in iOS 14:

Application clips, widgets, extensions and notifications should be relevant to the content and functionality of your application. Additionally, all app clip features and functionality must be included in the main application binary. Application clips cannot contain ads.

After all, Apple is also cracking down on personal loan applications. Apple Pal says personal loan applications must clearly disclose all loan terms, including things like the maximum annual percentage rate and the due date of payment. Applications are also prohibited from charging more than the maximum APR 36 36% and will not require full payment in 60 days or less. Apple Pal says the changes regarding personal loans are in accordance with the Military Credit Act.

You can find the full app store review guide on Apple’s developer website.

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