Jasonified.

Mobile developers who offer in-app upgrades are current facing a potential patent dispute (and licensing issue) with Lodsys, a group that is claiming patent infringement.

The specifics of the patent deal with in-app upgrades and applications that are downloaded with limited features and offer the ability to “upgrade” to the full version *within* the application.

This usually consists of hitting a button in the app that invokes a transaction via the iOS in-app purchase API and at this point features in the App are “unlocked”. In some instances this can mean downloading new content (such as new levels etc)

Developers who offer in-app upgrades and purchasing are clearly worried about this whole affair but there are a couple of options available to them which would avoid breaching this patent.

1. Separate applications. In essence a developer would create multiple versions of it’s application in the AppStore. Each app would have a separate ID and cost.

Users could be prompted to download the new app from the Appstore thus bypassing the in-app purchase.

The downside of this solution is it would clog the AppStore with multiple versions of the same app.

2. Mini-apps that “unlock” features in a main app. I haven’t checked this against the Apple developer agreement but basically this would work by having a main application which includes ALL the features people can purchase on it’s initial download.

The additional features are hidden and locked when the application is installed.

To “upgrade” users are directed to NEW, separate applications in the AppStore each of which would offer a particular upgrade.

Each “mini app” would be purchased as a NEW application install (thus bypassing the in-app upgrade patent) and when launched they would make an HTTP call to the main app (e.g mainappUID://<VALUE>) passing some sort of token across that would “unlock” the features of the main application. 

Obviously there could be some security issues here in encrypting the URL key to ensure it can’t be called manually from say Safari but technically this should be possible.

Hope this helps!

1. Apple introduce new content subscription policy for apps.

2. Tech news report that devs will have to give 30% to Apple for all in-app purchases

3. Devs have a “shit fit” and start dumping their in-dev apps saying they’ll go web app instead and Apple are money grabbing bastards.

4. Tech news reports dev discontent, publish open letters to Apple reaffirming they are bastards

5. More “experts” join the fray announcing their disappointment and how they predicted this 10 years ago.

6. The demise of The AppStore is reported as everyone will switch to Android or Web apps. Apple are confirmed as bastards.

7. Steve jobs clarifies for everyone who over reacted and didn’t read the new T&Cs properly:-

“We created subscriptions for publishing apps, not SaaS apps.”

1. Panic over

Came across a strange issue today. Yesterday my iPhone running 3.0 beta 5 was playing up. It was as if the clock and battery had been screen captured and were appearing under existing icons with the wrong time/level. Bizarro.

Anyway, I tried to reboot, it wouldn’t start up giving me the apple logo. I hard reset and it came back saying “iPhone activated”.

Once it was back none of my 3rd party apps would launch. They would just startup and quit immediately.

The fix is surprisingly simple. Log into Appstore and install ANY app. Launch it to test then launch the apps that were crashing, they should work.

HOWEVER you must do this in all iTunes accounts you have or any apps installed from other accounts / stores won’t work. I did this in my UK and US account and all working fine now.

Up to now, the iPhone AppStore has not offered the ability to trial applications. This has meant that the only way to try out an app has been to buy it leading to some negative reviews in the case of apps that don’t deliver on their claims.

Authors have got around the issue by developing “lite” versions of their apps. These are free versions that offer cut down features but enable users to try before they buy.

The downside to this approach is that there are lots of duplicate apps in the Appstore and you can’t upgrade your lite version - you have to install again.

This could all change however with iPhone 3.0 and it’s new “in app purchase” feature. Designed as a way to offer authors a way of charging for additonal modules, levels or features, this could actually solve the trial app issue.

Basically all an author has to do is build an app where certain features are locked away leaving the app itself as a free download. If the user wants to unlock these features they buy them in the app itself which unlocks the full features of the application.

Hey presto, a fully workable trial app model.

Check out this post on Apresiphone for first impressions of Encamp, a new Basecamp native app for the iPhone. Very cool!