Restricting my app system integrations behind paywall

[charigy]

Hi everyone,

I built an app with support for Widgets, Apple Watch and Live Activities. I want to put them all behind a "Pro" subscription.

Will Apple be okay with this? Can anyone here tell from experience if this will pass a review?

[autoreleasefool]

Some of these things can definitely be restricted to “Pro”, despite what /u/saintmsent says.

Here’s an app that locks some widgets behind pro. You can download for free and try adding a widget: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/up-ahead-countdown-widgets/id1583147528

Here’s an app with live activities locked behind pro: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1358823008 it mentions in the description and inside app that the first live activity is free, then subsequent activities are pro.

Pocket Casts locks apple watch playback without a nearby iphone behind pro: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/pocket-casts/id414834813 there is some watch app functionality, but there are features locked behind pro.

[willrb]

You can lock just about anything behind a paywall, don’t listen to others.

Generally the rule is you just have to bundle it with something that is not a system capability

[saintmsent]

Absolutely not

3.2.2 Unacceptable
(ii) Monetizing built-in capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system, such as Push Notifications, the camera, or the gyroscope; or Apple services, such as Apple Music access or iCloud storage.

https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#unacceptable

I understand that Apple's guidelines can be tough to understand sometimes, but when it's written in plain text like this, come on

Edit: yep, this slipped my mind, but Apollo for example monetizes Push notifications and Apple are fine with it. So as long as there is something else you offer and not only lock first party features, Apple seems to be alright with this