Apple ID/Google ID/Miscrosoft ID email and Entitlement (what is the user email?)

[Folobo]

Sorry for this question about an entitlement app.

I need to understand if the email of the user must be always the own Apple ID/Google ID/ Miscrosoft ID email?

Not clear the documentation in this point: if i create a user in my backend how can i know the user Apple ID/Google ID/ Miscrosoft ID?

Really thanks.

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado · Accepted solution]

Entitlement in DPS 2015 is no different than entitlement in the current version of DPS. It's just an email address. Your entitlement server is the one that manages the addresses, passwords, and what that email is allowed to access. It has nothing to do with Adobe IDs, Google IDs, Windows Live IDs, etc.

Neil

[Folobo]

Sorry Neil.

If i have a retail app how my users could buy the contents if they can not use their Apple IDs, Google IDs, Windows Live IDs, etc...?

Without Apple IDs or Google IDs you can not buy anything from the store (Apple or Google).

Really thanks!

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

Purchases from the store are separate from logging into the entitlement system. The login to your entitlement server doesn't even have to be an email address. It's up to you when you implement the entitlement server to decide what username/password combination you want to do.

Most companies use email address, but even there it's just an email address. It has nothing to do with an in-app purchase so it doesn't have to be one of the ID types you mention.

Neil

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

You might find the resources at Entitlement | Adobe Developer Connection helpful to learn more about entitlement. While the documents are for the current version of DPS it's basically the same in DPS 2015.

Neil

[Folobo]

Really thanks Neil.

Yes, i study the Entitlement documentation but i do not understand the relationship between Entitlement and In-App Purchase.

Many sorry but i think that this point is not really clear for many of us!

And if the future is (only) Entitlement app we need understand better!

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

The future isn’t “(only) Entitlement app”. Nothing’s changed from the current release of DPS here. If you don’t want to use direct entitlement you don’t have to, just leave the settings blank in App Builder.

Neil

[Folobo]

Thanks Neil, the question are:

1) Entitlement can be useful also for only-digital (NO print) publisher?If do not exist publisher’s print fulfillment a really desktop webstore is the best choise?

2) In an Entitlement and iTunes Subscription App if a user buy with in in-app purchase use Entitlement username or store ID (Apple ID, Google ID, etc...)

NB: point 2 http://wwwimages.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/products/digital-publishing-suite-enterprise/pdfs/dp... is not clear! Here works single-issue in-app purchases, subscriptions purchased in app, as well as direct entitlement via the publisher’s print fulfillment and/or website subscription systems

Really thanks!

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

Hi Nick,

The two options are parallel, and you can use either, both, or neither in your app.

1) Sure. We have enterprise customers that use it to control access to content based on which employee logs into the app. It really isn't about purchasing, it's about entitlement. Whether you choose to require a customer to purchase something on your website to get that entitlement is up to you.

2) If you buy with an in-app purchase it uses that store's ID (Apple ID, etc.)

Based on your other threads it looks like you are trying to set up an entitlement system solely to avoid the marketplace fees for in-app purchases. This is really a bad idea. In-app purchases are convenient for readers. Web purchases that are then reflected in the app are not. The amount of time, energy, and money you will spend building, maintaining, and supporting an entitlement system to try and avoid the marketplace fees is not worth it.

Neil

[Folobo]

Thanks again Neil!

1) So the best use of Entitlement is without purchase (or publisher’s print fulfillment), confirm?

We know that desktop webstore is a bad experience for users.

2) Sure, i have given up the idea of marketplace!

But a user that buy with in-app purchase in an Entitlement and iTunes Subscription App what use?

• Entitlement username
• Store ID (Apple ID, Google ID, etc...)

In other words: How to associate an in-app purchase action to the Entitlement user?

NB. Sorry i'm stupid but it's difficult for me understand this point: iTunes Subscription App in a Entitlement app!

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

1) Not necessarily, it depends on what your specific needs are. You have to decide what mix of purchase options you want to provide to your customers.

2) If they purchase in-app, it uses the Store ID. There is no connection between that purchase and your entitlement system. There is no association between that purchase action and an entitlement user. They’re completely separate.

Neil

[Folobo]

Mix? Can you post an example? Please it's very important this detail!

The NON-connection create a big problem!

If a user buy with in-app purchase on Apple this purchase is that store-only! So not also on Google or Microsoft.

Correct?

Thanks Neil, you are great!

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

1) Sure. You offer a print subscription and want to provide access to the digital version of your magazine to your print subscribers so they don’t have to purchase the digital version as well. The print subscribers use direct entitlement to sign in and gain access to the content. People without a print subscription purchase access via the store purchase system.

2) You are correct. We do not support cross-marketplace entitlement via store purchases and never have.

Neil

[Kristy_Duncan]

In-App purchasing is specific to a platform marketplace. Collections or Subscriptions purchased via iTunes will be available on a user's iOS devices. Similarly, collections purchased via Google Play will be available on a user's Android devices. There is no support to share a purchase across marketplaces.

If a user is entitled to content through Direct Entitlement (e.g. they purchased the collection or subscription through your website, they have a membership account that entitles them to content) then that user can sign in to the app through Direct Entitlement on different device platforms (e.g. iOS, Android) and get access to the content they are entitled, too. This also assumes that you have made content available on those platforms.

As Neil mentioned, entitlement does not equal purchasing. Entitlement is a superset. A user could be entitled to digital content because they purchased a print subscription, because they are a member of an organization with an active account or because they are an employee of the company that owns the app. In all of these examples, the user will sign in (via Direct Entitlement) and, once authenticated, be granted access to the content they are entitled to.

You asked about the "mixed" scenario of using Direct Entitlement and In-App Purchasing. Neil provided an example of a customer being able to provide both a print-digital bundle (direct entitlement) and digital-only subscriptions (in-app purchasing). Here's another example:

• Customer creates an app for members of a club. All content is published as non-free (non-free products do not have to have a price and do not have to be purchasable in a marketplace. It just means they require some form of entitlement.)
• Users sign in using Direct Entitlement and once authenticated as active members of the club, users gain access to all non-free content included as part of their membership.
• The club creates a collection of content (maybe coverage of a special event) that is not included with membership. This collection is published as non-free and made available for purchase in the app store.
• Users purchase the event collection via the app store (e.g. iTunes). This purchase is made through the user's iTunes account and is entitled via iTunes receipts (instead of through the Direct Entitlement service)

Kristy

[Folobo]

Hi Kristy, i do not have received the notification for your important reply! Sorry, only now i see it!

Thanks for your arguments but a question (see also here: Webstore Entitlement Integration (Desktop)) is open: if you do not have a desktop webstore what is the real benefit of entitlement for a publisher? I understand the benefit for a club or a company but for a publisher (small OR big) i do not understand how entitlement could work without a real webstore (this the core) that do the distribution.