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Does anyone know if in-app purchase can be gifted? For example, if I want to give a family member free coins in a game, is this possible?
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Open the App Store app, iTunes Store app, or Books app. Tap the item that you want to give. Tap the Gift button: In the App Store, tap the Share button , then tap Gift App .
No. This is due to restrictions put in place by Google – core apps can be shared but in-app purchases cannot.
You can turn in-app purchases on or off on Apple and Android devices with just a few taps. Turning off in-app purchases can help you resist the temptation to spend money while using apps, and it can keep kids from buying fictional things with real-life money — your real-life money.
In-app purchases that unlock content or features are permanent. Once you buy them, you don't need to buy them again. Unlockables can include content such as e-books, an expansion to a game, or features such as the ability to print in a word processor.
"Gifting" per say does not exist/work, but there is a way to provide your StoreKit functionality for free to select users.
In iTunes Connect, click on Manage Users, then In App Purchase Test User.
Here, you can add fake itunes accounts, which have the ability to download your StoreKit content for free. I don't believe you are allowed/able to add real email accounts. Don't think I have tried, but I always create bogus accounts and passwords. Literally anything works.
Logout of your account on your iPhone's App Store, go into your app, and purchase the StoreKit product with the fake account and password. This account provides free content on all of your apps. Not just a specific in-app purchase.
As you can see, this methodology is only good for people you REALLY trust. You need to tell people what the account username and password is, and if they tell other people about it, you lose revenue.
IN ESSENCE:
Gifting ?... No.
Free content for bloggers/beta/family ?... Yes.
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The iOS SDK has a framework called Store Kit for handling in app purchases. The framework is only for collecting payment. As stated in the iOS Reference Library In App Purchase Programming Guide:
You must provide any additional functionality, including unlocking built-in features or downloading content from your own servers.
You would have to create the gifting functionality.
"Now using the StoreKit is there a way to submit a purchase with someone else's email? and not the current user?" I do not see a way to do this in the SDK.
When user 1 goes to buy an in app product for user 2, you will have to provide a mechanism for user 1 to select user 2. Then process the payment normally with StoreKit for user 1. Save the transaction on your server (what user 1 bought user 2). In your app when you check to unlock or download your in app products you will have to check your server for that authorization.
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