One-time app subscription offer codes are coming to iOS 14, iPadOS 14

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited April 22

Later in 2020, App Store developers will be able to create and give away subscription offer codes to "acquire, retain, and win back subscribers" for their apps.

Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple



Apple announced the upcoming iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 feature in a developer update on Wednesday.

When they launch, one-time subscription codes will provide either free or discounted prices for auto-renewing subscriptions. Whether offered digitally or physically, the codes can be redeemed by users through a URL or within a developer's app with the proper API. They can also be distributed offline.

Unlike introductory or promotional offers, the codes are aimed at new, existing, or previous subscribers.

Apple notes in a developer document that users can have 10 active offers per subscription. Developers will be restricted to 150,000 codes per app, per quarter.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 3,052member
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    zhirowMisterKitSpamSandwichPShimiPetrolDave
  • Reply 2 of 15
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,753member
    This is a good change for developers. Yeah, I know that nobody is actually a fan of subscriptions. However, if you are a software developer or software development organization it costs real money to maintain and update applications. Software developers expect to get paid for their work, just like everyone else does.
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 15
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,453member
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    You prefer developers releasing a separate app you have to re-buy every time there's a major update with no upgrade discounts? Because that's the alternative right now, and I'd bet you complain about that too.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 15
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,141member
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    Good luck with that. 
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 15
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,141member

    fastasleep said:
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    You prefer developers releasing a separate app you have to re-buy every time there's a major update with no upgrade discounts? Because that's the alternative right now, and I'd bet you complain about that too.
    Exactly. Adobe used to run over $3,000 and that entitled you to no upgrades, so every 4-5 years most people would spend another $3k.  At $50 a month it's much cheaper, and you always have the most current version.  AutoCad was even worse. 

    The problem is when you have idiots charging $30 a year for an ad blocker.  Some apps lend themselves well to subscriptions, others do not. 
    PetrolDavemattinozwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 15
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,141member

    BittySon said:
    “Unlike introductory or promotional offers, the codes are aimed at new, existing, or previous subscribers.“

    I’d check my logic if I were you.  There aren’t any humans who don’t fall into the categories of new, existing or former subscribers. 
    Perhaps your logic is off because it makes perfect sense.  Introductory offers are targeted primarily at new users, whereas codes are for all types of users. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 15
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,453member
    flydog said:

    fastasleep said:
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    You prefer developers releasing a separate app you have to re-buy every time there's a major update with no upgrade discounts? Because that's the alternative right now, and I'd bet you complain about that too.
    Exactly. Adobe used to run over $3,000 and that entitled you to no upgrades, so every 4-5 years most people would spend another $3k.  At $50 a month it's much cheaper, and you always have the most current version.  AutoCad was even worse. 

    The problem is when you have idiots charging $30 a year for an ad blocker.  Some apps lend themselves well to subscriptions, others do not. 
    There most definitely was upgrade pricing with Adobe CS. Either way, CC is a massive improvement over that model and it's a no brainer.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 15
    zhirowzhirow Posts: 1member
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    This guy gets it. Anyone droning on about why you should want a subscription is a lemming.  I'd rather buy a product then basically lease it.  I might not want next years version, maybe they removed a feature, maybe a feature sucks.  How about rather then the strawman argument of subscription versus payment, we all agree that maybe a lot of developers need to get their shit together, make a product that works and maybe develop a loyal following through good customer service.  Then people will buy your products.  That's literally how iPhones are marketed.  If you do quality work, people come back.  It's why Adobe can go bankrupt for all I care, I'm willing to buy a product, I'm NOT willing to just hand you money for incremental adjustments or features.  If that makes you unhappy, find another job.  It's a product, not a charity.
    DAalseth
  • Reply 9 of 15
    MoorePhotographyMoorePhotography Posts: 21member
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    Always amazed by people who don't like the subscription model but expect the developer to continue to support and improve their apps. That said I'll ditch an app in a heartbeat if I'm paying a subscription and they've gone AWOL and I'm seeing no development and updates. Has to work both ways.
    twokatmewfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 15
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 3,052member
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    You prefer developers releasing a separate app you have to re-buy every time there's a major update with no upgrade discounts? Because that's the alternative right now, and I'd bet you complain about that too.
    Yes that's EXACTLY what I prefer. A developer putting out something worth upgrading to. Far better than what I have seen, subscription software that never gets improved in any significant way because the developers don't have to give a damn any more. They have their customers trapped. Stop paying and your documents become unreadable. 

    Giving point updates and bug fixes and selling major updates is a model that has worked for like thirty plus years.
    edited September 2020 PShimibestkeptsecret
  • Reply 11 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    DAalseth said:
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    You prefer developers releasing a separate app you have to re-buy every time there's a major update with no upgrade discounts? Because that's the alternative right now, and I'd bet you complain about that too.
    Yes that's EXACTLY what I prefer. A developer putting out something worth upgrading to. Far better than what I have seen, subscription software that never gets improved in any significant way because the developers don't have to give a damn any more. They have their customers trapped. Stop paying and your documents become unreadable. 

    Giving point updates and bug fixes and selling major updates is a model that has worked for like thirty plus years.
    And it stopped working the moment folk started leaving reviews like this on the App Store:  

    “They want $50 for a word processor? Why?”

    The App Store caused a massive price drop in software across the board  (which no one seems remember while banging in about “greedy” Apple’s 30% cut and conveniently forgetting that every other store charges the same), which was unsustainable. 

    Subscriptions work in many cases because they give developers an income stream they can plan around.  They also work if the developer provides an add-on service (and I don’t mean a service that Apple already provides such as cloud syncing). 

    I happily pay for the JetBrains suite, AnyList and the Agenda app. JetBrains subscription worked out cheaper because I was upgrading every year anyway, and now I get the whole suite for less than I was paying for one app.  AnyList needs its own sync server because it needs multiple users to share a single database on multiple platforms which Apple doesn’t support. 

    Now, Agenda and JetBrains also have something else in common:  if you end the subscription you keep the last version of the app you install. 

    So here’s what I think Apple should do: introduce a ‘rent to keep’ model. The minimum subscription time is one year. After a year you can carry on paying, or you stop paying and keep the version you have. 

    bikerdudetwokatmewfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member

    zhirow said:
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    This guy gets it. Anyone droning on about why you should want a subscription is a lem—
    NEXT!
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member

    MoorePhotography said:
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    Always amazed by people who don't like the subscription model but expect the developer to continue to support and improve their apps. That said I'll ditch an app in a heartbeat if I'm paying a subscription and they've gone AWOL and I'm seeing no development and updates. Has to work both ways.
    Or just keep putting in tiny cosmetic changes and little else. I cancelled my Ulysses subscription because I didn’t think the changes were worth the fee.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Oh, and here’s my rules for keeping/dumping an app when it switches to subscription. 

    1. Does the developer close the user support forums? If so, then dump the app immediately. The developer has no intention of putting in any more work aside from bug fixes. 
    2. Think hard.  Do you really need it? Fantastical failed point number 1, but unfortunately it also failed number 2. 
    3. If you do need it, are there alternatives that are non-subscription or cost less per year?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 15
    mrochestermrochester Posts: 701member
    DAalseth said:
    Dear Developers, if you go to a subscription model, I find an alternative to your software.
    I agree with you.

    I will not subscribe to something that I should buy once and own.  Software, music, videos, etc, are all things you should buy and own, not rent in perpetuity.  

    It's just another way to extract more money out of people.


    edited September 2020
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