Brand New To Programming-Idea

[van21]

Hey Guys,

I recently came up with a app idea that hasn't been done. Researched it and now I don't think the functionality is even there.

Wondering if I can have in-app purchases that are predicated by fulfilling a duty of the app.

For example. When signing up for the app you automatically buy a in-app purchase of $30 for example. If you go and stay on the app for 10 minutes everyday for a month, you receive a dollar back for everyday you fulfill this requirement. At the end of the month if you don't fulfill this requirement you lose the money you initially put in.

So if I go on this app for 20/30 days for 10 minutes a day I lose $10 I put in of the $30.

Is there a way to have a clock time down 10 minutes spent on the app daily? As well as returning in app purchases spent on a monthly basis?

Even if the timer could record how many days the requirement was fulfilled thus allowing for a payment at the end of the month so no refund was necessary that would be okay. Is this possible?

If anybody has any insight or thoughts on this that would be greatly appreciated. I'm really thinking of this idea as a way to stop procrastination by putting up money and getting it back if the duty is fulfilled. I'm very new to coding so don't be afraid to be as harsh and realistic as possible.

 

[MattInOz]

So what is the App Idea?

 

[balamw]

MOD NOTE:

I think this was more appropriate in this sub-forum than in iOS Programming, as there's really not a code question here (yet).

I would imagine that Apple would want a cut of the money you "earn back" while in the app, so that's why I think it's more a business/legal thing than not.

IMO you're more likely to make this fly if Apple isn't involved in collecting the payment.

Certainly many freemium games do the opposite. You can earn levels/features by spending time in the game, or bypass that via in-app purchase. So maybe it's not that farfetched.

B

 

[dejo]

Is there a way to have a clock time down 10 minutes spent on the app daily?

Yeah, that definitely seems possible.

As well as returning in app purchases spent on a monthly basis?

This, on the other hand, seems much less doable. The only mechanism I know of to get refunds on an app/in-app-purchase is a user-initiated one. An app is not able to initiate this, as far as I know. And be careful using a third-party payment system. Apple may reject your app for "utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App".

 

[robbieduncan]

Yeah, that definitely seems possible.



This, on the other hand, seems much less doable. The only mechanism I know of to get refunds on an app/in-app-purchase is a user-initiated one. An app is not able to initiate this, as far as I know. And be careful using a third-party payment system. Apple may reject your app for "utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App".

I think you would have to setup a subscription system off the app store (and still give Apple 30%) to enable this sort of thing.

 

[xArtx]

Does the App specifically require money up front?

If not, you could let the end user do the thirty days first,
and then make the calc of how much money is owed,
then select from a number of pre defined purchase amounts set up
between 10 and 30 dollars or whatever, and charge the appropriate
amount for the App to keep running.