Does AppStore distribute a license key automatically after purchasing an application

Question

From my previous experience with shareit I implemented this purchase/validate process

• Provide shareit a list of valid license keys
• shareit sends an email to the user with a valid license key, selected automatically by shareit system from the list of keys I provided
• User starts the application and application asks for a license key
• User enters the license key provided by shareit through email
• Application checks if the provided license key is valid through a web service hosted on my server
• The server sends digitally signed license file back to the application
• On subsequent launches application checks if digitally signed license is provided for the current machine

My question is: Can I provide app store a list of approved license keys that will be distributed automatically to the user after successfull purchase

If not the only solution I can think of is publishing the application on app store as a free application and then redirect user to shareit when app is launched on IPhone so that she can purchase a license key which is known by me

Answer 1

I don't quite get why would you need to distribute license keys to iPhone users. App Store has its own business model which you have to deal with. If you would like to make a 'try & buy' version of your app, you can do so with the In App Purchase mechanism. It gives you two options:

1. Include all of the functionality in the initial release of your app. Your app may downloaded from the App Store for free, but users will get the paid functionaly only after purchasing it from within the app.
2. Although Apple docs don't specifically mention the ability to purchase license keys via In App Purchase mechanism, you can present it as an unlimited lifetime subscription. What I mean by this is that your users can indeed purchase license keys, and it will be up to you and your server to let your mobile app reveal its hidden functionality after the purchase has been registered.

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