In an announcement on its developer website, Apple confirmed that it is now allowing developers to send a limited number of promo codes out from iTunes Connect to give away in-app purchases to select users. Developers can now send up to 100 promo codes for any single in-app purchase item, and up to 1,000 promo codes total per app. The move is aimed at allowing “press and influencers” to gain free access to items and features that are usually behind an app’s paywall.
If a user redeems an in-app promo code for a free app that isn’t currently on their phone, the app will automatically download. If the user is missing a paid app, they will be prompted to either download the app or use a separate promo code to obtain it before redeeming the in-app promo. Promo codes for tvOS or multiplatform apps have to be redeemed in the App Store—either on an iOS device or computer—before the app will appear in a user’s purchase history on the Apple TV App Store.