Apple Opens Up 'In App Purchasing' for Free iPhone Applications - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Opens Up 'In App Purchasing' for Free iPhone Applications

171402 in app purchasing

Apple has just sent out an e-mail to registered iPhone developers informing them that In App Purchasing, previously restricted to paid applications, is now also permitted in free applications. The change also permits developers to create a single version of an application to be sold for free with limited accessibility that can then be unlocked for full functionality via In App Purchases, eliminating the need for developers to create separate free "lite" versions of paid apps if they wish to offer such products.

In App Purchase is being rapidly adopted by developers in their paid apps. Now you can use In App Purchase in your free apps to sell content, subscriptions, and digital services.

You can also simplify your development by creating a single version of your app that uses In App Purchase to unlock additional functionality, eliminating the need to create Lite versions of your app. Using In App Purchase in your app can also help combat some of the problems of software piracy by allowing you to verify In App Purchases.

Visit the App Store Resource Center for more details about how you can add In App Purchases to your free apps.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 12 New Features

Friday July 17, 2026 10:39 am PDT by
It is now mid-July, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now just two months away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, ...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Raises iCloud+ Prices in 8 Countries

Friday July 17, 2026 11:56 am PDT by
Apple has increased the price of iCloud+ in Nigeria, Türkiye, Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, according to an updated version of its iCloud support document. Price increases range from 11 percent to 55 percent depending on the plan and the country. Nigeria saw the biggest hike, and a 50GB plan is now ₦1,300, up from ₦900. Türkiye saw the next largest...
iPhone 17 17 Pro and Air Feature

Apple Raises iPhone Prices in Japan

Friday July 17, 2026 12:45 pm PDT by
After raising prices on all Macs and iPads worldwide last month, Apple has now increased the price of iPhone models in Japan. As spotted by the Spanish blog iPhoneros, the iPhone 16, iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max all received price increases on Apple's online store in Japan today. Prices increased by up to 11%. Model Previous...