Put the app as a paid version on Google Play Store

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phiter
Posts: 7

Post by phiter »

Hello! I purchased Synthesia a while ago and I wanted to let my sister use it as well. I wanted to do this trough Google Play Family Library, but it doesn't work for in-app purchases.

I read in the forum that you guys didn't make it like this initially in order not to clutter the store with two versions, but since google doesn't allow sharing of the app as it is now, it would be great if I could share the full app as an app purchase.

Can it be done? If so, I would appreciate to know it.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Hmm, I don't know much about the "Google Play Family Library" feature. (This is actually the first time I've ever heard the name!)

I know that if you sign into both devices (even as a secondary account that doesn't get used very often), the app should be able to find the in-app purchase again. And if you're doing this with an unlock key from our website, it will work in all cases with no trouble at all.

I've tinkered with the idea of having an Android in-app purchase trigger some communication with our server to generate a sort of tablet-only unlock key that could be used for this sort of thing. (The automatic detection of past Google Play purchases often seems quite spotty and being able to issue a code where users could rely on our own infrastructure---which works essentially 100% of the time---would be much nicer!)
phiter
Posts: 7

Post by phiter »

Yeah, perhaps if I could get a mobile key that I could share with her that would be great. I purchased it about a year ago so idk how I (or other people) could get it if you add this functionality.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

It would definitely be retroactive for existing users. Instead of the "Claim your discount" button on the [Settings] --> [Unlock Synthesia] screen, it would probably lead you to a page where you could get your Android-only short code (with an option to do the same upgrade that is available today to a "full" unlock key).
phiter
Posts: 7

Post by phiter »

Ohh that would be great!

I know it's still just an idea but do you know how long it would take to be released?
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

It's tough to prioritize this one. When there is a sort-of workaround (logging in using a different account on the Android device) and all the feature is doing is correcting for a half-broken OS feature, it's challenging to pick a spot on the list when I know it's going to be a fair amount of effort (including changing the unlock key format, which has implications with backward compatibility with older versions of Synthesia).

I can report that it won't be before Synthesia 11 is released. But that isn't much more specific than before. Sorry!
phiter
Posts: 7

Post by phiter »

At this points the only type of key you can issue is available for pc, android, ios, etc right? Or do you already have a type of key that works only on mobile? Because if you did maybe you could issue keys for mobile users. You probably have the emails of the users who purchased the app.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Right now there is only one kind of key (PC+Mac+Android). That was the main technical point I'd mentioned. To have keys with different levels/sets of authorizations/credentials would require an updated app that understood the new information.

Today you can buy a key and immediately use it in Synthesia 0.6.4 from 2008. We don't officially support versions that old, but it seems like a little bit of a shame to finally break that compatibility.
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