As part of the launch of iOS 15 (opens in new tab), Apple has also updated its set of APIs for in-app purchases and subscriptions with the release of StoreKit 2 (opens in new tab).
StoreKit 2's new Swift (opens in new tab)-based tools will be quite useful for developers as they will allow them to more easily track and support their customer's purchases as opposed to having to rely on third-party solutions such as RevenueCat.
According to a new blog post (opens in new tab) from Apple, the new tools in StoreKit 2 will give developers everything they need to determine product entitlements and eligibility for special offers, quickly get a user's in-app purchase (opens in new tab) history, provide a way to request refunds and manage subscriptions from within their apps and more.
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StoreKit 2 also utilizes Switch concurrency and JSON Web Signature to simplify how developers retrieve product information and handle transactions.
Interoperability
In a separate blog post (opens in new tab), RevenueCat highlighted the fact that StoreKit 2's features will only work with devices running iOS 15.
As a result, developers whose apps still support older versions of iOS (opens in new tab) are encouraged to use the original StoreKit instead. Thankfully though, both StoreKit 2 and StoreKit are interoperable and purchases made using the original API are still able to be accessed using the new APIs.
The release of StoreKit 2 will likely lead to developers and small businesses adding even more in-app purchases as well as subscription offerings to their apps which could lead to some interesting new consumer experiences.
Apple though will still receive 30 percent (opens in new tab) of any purchases made by an app's users despite continued controversy surrounding the company's large cut of developer revenue.
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Via The Verge (opens in new tab)
