I want to add free subscriptions to a newsstand app i've been working on, the only problem I can find out how to do this is from this guide. However as helpful as that is you have to use urban airship, where it cost $0.10 per subscribe, so for a free app, it'd be costing me, which i couldn't afford to do every month.
Are there any other ways; How would i set up a server my self? Would it be the same for any IAP stuff?
Thank you in advance.
On
Apple requires that Newsstand apps offer its contens using iTunes managed subscriptions. This means you have to run a server that hosts the Newsstand content, which won't be free.
Your only alternative is to release your app as a non-Newsstand app, build the content into your app, and release an App Store update when it's time for a new issue. This isn't ideal as only Newsstand apps have background downloading.
So... get some funding, or find someone else with a Newsstand app who will host your content for free :)
I'm in the same boat. Right now I'm considering using the JavaPNS API to send push notifications. (Local notifications wont work since they don't wake up the app when its not active). As far as hosting goes... for some unknown reason Google AppEngine does not support JavaPNS. I'm thinking about writing a JavaPNS program and running it on my own laptop daily to send out push notifications.
The only thing I have yet to figure out is how to get a list of users who have subscribed to my app. If the user must register the device token with my server then that means my server will have to be running all the time, which I cant do. Man I hope I don't have to use urban airship.
There should be a free way to do this. Hopefully we can figure this out...