1 small step for an app, 1 giant leap for the App Store: Apple-approved external purchases are here!
Thanks to the “External Purchase Link” entitlement, Delta can now include a link to @shanegill.io and I’s Patreon 
More importantly, users can also now connect their Patreon account in Delta to access patron-exclusive features outside the EU for the first time ever — including DS Online Multiplayer!
Update now and taste the forbidden fruit of external purchases today 
https://fosstodon.org/@altstore/113669787951830819
Before Delta was in the App Store, we offered a beta version for patrons through AltStore because all Delta users were implicitly AltStore users. Now however the majority *aren’t* AltStore users, so we needed a new way to give our patrons their benefits
Another wrinkle: Apple forbid us even mentioning our Patreon in Delta. So not only are our App Store users unable to receive Patreon benefits, but most are unaware we even have a Patreon at all!
This entitlement solves both these issues 
@rileytestut@mastodon.socialUnsurprisingly, it also came with some pretty strict requirements. Most notably, we had to use 1 of only 4 approved phrases. So if you’re wondering why it’s phrased “Buy for $3 from altstore.io/patreon”, that’s because it’s the only phrase that included a specific price 
Some other fun requirements:
• Must conform to 1 of 3 approved UI templates
• Must display a full-screen system warning when tapped
• Can only appear in exactly ONE place in the app
• Can not be displayed in a modal/pop-up
About that full-screen alert: technically, we owe Apple a commission on all donations made within 7 days of pressing “Confirm” — but that’s fine!
However *if* you wanted to donate without giving Apple a cut, you can:
• Join our Patreon THEN view the alert
• View the alert and press “Cancel”
• View the alert and press “Confirm”, then join more than a week later
We genuinely don’t care through, so feel free to go through the flow just to experience it. We appreciate all donations the same :)
I really wanted to get this update out before the end of the year to thank all our Patrons who have been incredibly supportive of us this whole time. Our entire income comes from y’all, so we truly couldn’t be doing this without you 
We have SO much more planned for Delta and AltStore next year, so if you’d like to become a patron yourself to support and follow along with development, please consider donating at https://patreon.com/rileyshane 
@rileytestut Congratulations on getting this out, Riley! I love to see it, and you did a great job with it.
@devondundee thanks Devon 
@rileytestut Is the commission just on their first month or every month?
@rileytestut “Apple can’t verify any pricing or promotions offered by the developer”… but they _can_ charge a commission 
The EU should force them to disclose that to the users 
@rileytestut can’t be displayed in a modal??
@ioslife yup 
they *really* don’t want it to grab people’s attention lol
@rileytestut classic apple rules
@rileytestut Honestly these seem like ok restrictions to me, this could really be abused and end up with some nasty app experiences that badger users otherwise.