Unlock keys (will) work on the iPad (soon)!

Post by **Nicholas** » 06-08-21 12:00 am

2021-07-03 EDIT: The update is live! You can use your website unlock keys in the iPad app right now!

Ahh! I'm like three years late to discover a new entry in Apple's review guidelines! (Why this wasn't shouted from the rooftops at the time by the Apple news sources I follow, I don't know!)

Apple wrote: 3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services: Apps that operate across multiple platforms may allow users to access content, subscriptions, or features they have acquired in your app on other platforms or your web site, including consumable items in multi-platform games, provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app.

My Groundhog Day loop of answering the same email question every day about "why can't I use my unlock key on the iPad?" will finally be over!

The "Where will my purchase work?" matrix on the unlock page will finally be able to read "Buy here: use anywhere!" So good! (I also just learned a couple weeks ago that apps can finally opt-into having Apple's Family Sharing feature work for in-app purchases, which I did for Synthesia immediately. So many roadblocks removed for everyone!)

The unlock key text box will be in the very next Synthesia for iPad update (which may go out as a small bug-fix style release just to get it in everyone's hands faster)!

Smiley · Post by **Smiley** » 06-12-21 2:31 pm

Good to know - I won't download it yet onto my iPad... I'll wait for you to implement it along with your other 600+ items on 'the list.'

Post by **Nicholas** » 06-12-21 3:03 pm

Hehe, hopefully you won't have to wait that long. I've already tested the iPad change--it wasn't much more than changing the "are unlock keys allowed on this platform" variable from false to true--but I was also in the middle of making it easier to navigate the sheet music, so that part of the code is pulled apart in pieces. Once that's rebuilt and working again, I'm thinking of pushing out an iPad update just for the sake of getting that unlock key box out there.

ozanbarisy · Post by **ozanbarisy** » 06-19-21 10:54 am

Hey Nicholas,
I just saw the changes about the ipad code thing. I previously purchased synthesia for my ipad. I'm from turkey and with the exchange rate from USD to TRY going through the roof I can't afford another license for using it on PC. Since it is possible to activate the purchased keys on ipad, would it be possible to get a key from the ipad purchase to activate it on my PC as well? Thank you in advance

Post by **Nicholas** » 06-21-21 3:10 am

This is actually an interesting question that I don't know the answer to. In the Android version, we have a system in place where the app can direct you to the website in a special way where the website is able to confirm your purchase and apply your full (Android / $7 USD) purchase price toward the desktop version ($29 USD) so that there is never any sort of double-payment.

This rule from their app guidelines in particular is still concerning:

3.1.3(e) Goods and Services Outside of the App: If your app enables people to purchase physical goods or services that will be consumed outside of the app, you must use purchase methods other than in-app purchase to collect those payments, such as Apple Pay or traditional credit card entry.

If you skip "physical goods or" and kind of gloss over what they mean by "consumed", you end up with something that sounds a lot like the in-app purchase isn't allowed to be used on the other platforms supported by the app.

Even since I found out about the rule change just a couple weeks ago, I've already heard lots of stories about apps being rejected even though they actually qualify for the "Multiplatform Services" exemption. Sometimes it takes several back-and-forths with Apple, even for routine bug-fix updates because a reviewer sees stuff they don't like. Before I try to include anything like the "apply your full in-app purchase price toward an unlock key" system we've got on Android in the iPad version, I'd like to get a couple "regular" iPad updates under our belt to see what their review team has to say.

ozanbarisy · Post by **ozanbarisy** » 06-21-21 3:23 pm

Thank you for your quick and detailed reply. I wasn't aware of the price difference nor with the system you had in the Android side. Hope you can implement a similar system on Apple store as well

Post by **Nicholas** » 07-03-21 3:58 am

The Synthesia 10.7.1 update just went live for iPad users, allowing unlock keys to be used for the first time ever on that platform!

Smiley · Post by **Smiley** » 07-10-21 9:53 am

Yes, it worked for me - thank you Nicholas ! You're a star !!!

paronym · Post by **paronym** » 08-24-21 6:28 pm

Great news about the iPad app unlocking ability. Since I already paid for the desktop version and the iPad version, based on what was communicated, would you consider granting some credit to use in your Music Store?

Post by **Nicholas** » 08-24-21 11:32 pm

Without having easy access to the App Store order list from Apple, it would be an effort to find a way to verify a "double purchase". It would take adding code to the app that checks for the in-app purchase receipt on the device... and then the trail goes cold without a way to easily connect it to an unlock key email address. Adding a button in the app to send you to the website (with your receipt ID) in order to connect the two manually and claim something like a music store credit would then violate Apple's terms (failing guideline 3.1.3(b)) because the app would be directing you to something usable inside the app that you can't buy via an in-app purchase.

I suppose a user could manually look up their order ID from Apple. Then a page on the site (or maybe through the support assistant) could ask for that ID plus your email and generate a coupon code or something. That would take some effort (I've never used Apple's server-side API) and testing.

I'm not opposed to the idea, although given the recent family health stuff that has been going on, I'd be hesitant to give up what little momentum I've been able to maintain in the interim by prioritizing that sort of work very highly.

It's a tough call. On a team with lots of people, absolutely. When only one person has about 2 or 3 hours available each M/W/F, I don't know what the right answer is. Sorry!