DPS Subscriptions and Subscription Families

[Davd_Spivak_-_A]

Hi all - question regarding the standard and all access subscriptions and how they connect to subscription families with Apple.

I'm going to be selling multiple magazine titles in my app. For example, let's say I am creating a magazine titled Bob Magazine. And in iTunes Connect, I create a subscription family for this magazine -- com.myname.bobmagazine.subscription.oneyear and com.mynmae.bobmagazine.subscription.onemonth, etc. etc. etc. And in DPS I create two new standard subscriptions that match the subscriptions I just created in iTunes Connect. Ok, great.

I have another magazine. Let's call it Colin Magazine after our favorite DPS Evangelist. I create a new subscription family. com.myname.colinmagazine.subscription.oneyear and com.colinmagazine.subscription.onemonth. And in Adobe DPS I create two new subscriptions that match the two new subscriptions I just created in iTunes Connect.

Here's my question: If a user subscribes for one year to all the magazines with com.myname.bobmagazine - will they only receive access to only the issues with that snytax, or will they, unfortunately, receive access to every single issue on the platform?

[davidhicks_dps]

I would so read Colin Magazine.

[Bob_Bringhurst_ · Accepted solution]

Those are great names!

If you want to split your app into multiple magazine titles, neither of the iOS store options—Standard Subscription or All Access—will do what you want. An All Access subscription gives you access to everything in the app, so you would get both Colin's and Bob's collections as long as you're subscribed. A standard subscription gives you access to all collections in which the products' Availability Dates fall between the start date and end date of the subscription. Again, you would get both Colin's and Bob's collections if they're published within that window. The IAP syntax doesn't filter.

As I see it, your options are to create separate apps or to use direct entitlement.

[Davd_Spivak_-_A]

Great names indeed, Bob. I was considering Neil Magazine, but I think it's already taken!

Anyway, there are 3rd party digital newsstands (Zinio, Magzter) which employ their own custom software that sell subscriptions to hundreds if not thousands of magazine titles directly through iOS. This is what, I am assuming, subscription families are for.

[BobLevine]

You guys are seriously cracking me up.

Carry on.

[Bob_Bringhurst_]

DPS doesn't let you sell subscriptions to different products within the app via iTunes.

In DPS 2015, the only reason to use subscription families in iTunes Connect is to offer different subscription types (Standard or All Access) for the same duration (1 Year). You can't use the same duration twice within the same family, so you create a second family.

[Colin_Fleming]

Mr. Bringhurst has summed this up well. Either separate apps, or direct entitlement to control access.

And keep in mind, please: Bob typically publishes more timely information than I do. You should subscribe to him first, and sometimes he'll cite videos I do... Neil Magazine will likely focus on Windows apps...

Happy Monday!

[Neil_Enns_-_Ado]

Y'all are hilarious.

Neil

[davidhicks_dps]

Here's a question:

I have an app, ready for iOS and Android, tablet and phone. I want to have a 'button' or banner, in the home browse page across all devices, that points the user to purchase from a list of subscription options once tapped (eg: SUBSCRIBE HERE). Is this possible? Would I need to create two separate projects - one for iOS and one for Android - as the button would need a different action for each platform... Quite urgent this one (big publisher).

Many thanks

David

[Bob_Bringhurst_]

This seems like two questions:

1) At this time, it's not possible to create a "Subscribe" banner or card that would display the subscription options when tapped. One possible workaround would be to create a dummy protected article in a single-article "Entitled" collection that displays a paywall when tapped and prompts users to subscribe. You could try that, but I don't know how effective it would be as a user experience.

2) Subscriptions aren't supported in Android apps, so you'd need to create a different project or set up direct entitlement to handle subscriptions on Android.

[davidhicks_dps]

Without overstating this, I think this is now a major priority feature request (and now a major issue for publishers as its not there!) that needs to happen in the next drop.

For so many reasons, mainly, it was a solid feature in DPS Classic that now no longer exists. If you want publishers to migrate over to the new platform, you need to be consistent with storefront elements and features in the new app builder. Yes, inviting users in to the browse pages and sampling content is key, but the ability to provide a quick and easy route to subscription products - ie: via a banner, with imagery and marketing messaging - is vital for consumer magazine apps.

Android is fine - its IOS that is the player here - and as far as the article experience, we had thought of that - but it's simply not going to work (but thanks for the suggestion).

You have a few others on here requesting this feature - please look into this as soon as possible - I look forward to your response.