Idea For In-App Purchases

[the_wesley_watkins]

To my knowledge, there is no way currently with SB to use in-app purchases in SB-made apps. Correct me if I am wrong.

However, I believe I may have found a way around this. I have the idea and need someone to help me finish the thought. What if I created a paypal payment link, then opened a browser in my SB app where I would use an in-app purchase and put the URL as my payment link I got from paypal? Could that work? I'm still confused as to how I could know when they had actually gone through the payment process and then be able to allow them access to whatever the in-app purchase was.

Anyone care to finish this idea out?

[Mr. Kibernetik]

Maybe this process can be manual?
Like you get info from Paypal that payment was made and then send some unblocking code to the user?

Or probably this can be done automatically but it will require your own server and PHP coding on the server side which will do all this work for you.

[GeorgeMcGinn]

What if you use the HTTP protocol?

You can execute CGI Scripts, which would be your PayPal payment URL.

If you are not going to download a new App from iTunes, then your original App will have to keep a file in your container that keeps track of the features purchased, then your code will have to check the switches on the file when you build the App for display on the user's device.

My question is how are RESTORES going to be handled? For example, if I download your App, upgrade it with an in App purchase, say it is a golf game and I buy coins to purchase Nike clubs.

If I get a new device and reinstall your App, you will need to provide a link "Restore Purchases" and you will need to keep a client file on a webserver to restore all those switches that turn on or turn off features.

So you have two types of in-app purchases - adding features like games do, buy weapons, clubs, golf balls, etc, or upgrade a lite app to the full version.

Usually developers offer both in iTunes, and I've seen it where when you go to your purchased apps in iTunes, the full version or pro version is also available along with your lite version.

Unless Mr. K knows how to accomplish this (you would have to somehow tell iTunes they purchased the full version) then you can only monitor this manually using your webserver and a file that keeps track of all your customer's purchases. I have not even looked into in-app purchases that activate the full version that is also available in iTunes.

Mr K - is there a way to tell iTunes that the full version has been purchased?

Also, doesn't iTunes also have claims of 30 percent of in-app purchases? They will see this when they review the app and will ask you to make changes to they get their cut. I do not know if that can be coded in SmartBASIC or if it needs to be put in the SDK?