Changes to the App Store allow for outside payment and links to external websites for purchases. Apple is adding support for and warnings about external purchases in the new version of its operating system.
The code for external purchase support was discovered by 9to5Mac. The site says that Apple recently made available to reader apps theExternal Link Account entitlement, which has full support.
As of last week, Apple began allowing developers of reader apps to sign up for access to an external link entitlement that will allow the app to offer a link to a website so users can create or manage an account outside of the App Store. Digital content such as magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, or video are included in the primary function of reader apps.
An in-app link can be provided by apps that receive an External Link Account entitlement. Users will be able to sign up for or manage a subscription with a link in the app.
The Japanese Fair Trade Commission launched an investigation in early 2021, and Apple decided to allow reader apps to link to an external website. Apple plans to make sure that users of reader apps have a safe experience on the App Store.
9to5Mac found a text that warned a user who deleted an app with external purchases that they couldn't manage their purchases through the App Store. If a user subscribes to a service through an external link in the app and then uninstalls it, the subscription can't be canceled through the app store, but it will need to be handled by the developer.
You cannot manage or cancel external purchases through the App Store. Contact the developer for more information.
When the app is first launched, Apple will alert users about the external purchase options and support limitations, making it clear to users that purchases outside of the App Store will need to be managed.
The guidelines for external links in reader apps are designed to make clear the difference between an external purchase and an App Store purchase. A link must open in a new browser window on the device instead of in a web view in the app. Links cannot have tracking information, and an app can only link to a website that it is affiliated with.
Apple is accepting requests from reader apps that are interested in using the external link entitlement, even though we don't know when the new version of the software will be released. Apple's website for link entitlement says that the External Link Account will be available for reader apps to build and test in an upcoming release of iOS and iPadOS.
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