Apple was recently asked to give developers the option to redirect users to third-party payment platforms instead of using the App Store's in-app purchasing system, and the company appears to be making preparations to do so in iOS 15.5.
As the US blog 9to5mac reported, the latest beta version of iOS 15.5 offers full support for the new permission that allows apps to indicate that they allow external purchases. For example, if the user deletes an app that offers external purchases, iOS will display a warning stating that it is not possible to manage purchases and subscriptions through the App Store. While the App Store allows users to manage all their purchases in one place, Apple has no control over what users buy outside of the iOS platform - so it is important to remind users of this. Below is the warning in full:
iOS 15.5: Feature is only available for “Reader Apps”
External purchases from [app name] may still exist. You cannot manage or cancel external purchases through the App Store. Contact the developer for more information.
Internal iOS code also shows that Apple is introducing an additional warning that appears when the user opens an app that offers external purchases for the first time. However, this feature won't be available for every app. The App Store guidelines clarify that "External Link Account Entitlement" is only available for "reader apps," i.e., apps that offer digital content such as magazines, books, songs, or videos. Another requirement is that the app cannot offer in-app purchases through Apple's platform. However, each request must be approved by Apple. (Photo by DenPhoto / Bigstockphoto)
