Merging existing WP app + WinRT app

Question

I have 2 apps (with same name) published on WP and Windows stores. They are selling in different prices. And more trouble is that the business model is a little bit different in terms of approach (while in principle they are the same):

WP: Trial + IAP. After paying the app, the paid version will become ad-free while paying IAP will get another set of advanced features.

WinRT: Free + IAP. In principle it's the same biz model except that user needs to pay for an IAP item to get ad-free which is equals to paying the app in WP. For other advanced features, both versions are sharing the same IAP ID so that part I believe it's not a problem.

As a result, the challenge will be how to (or is it even possible?) transfer existing paid users in WP to get an ad-free version in WinRT (which is handled by IAP) and vice versa (the reverse case will be a bit different as any user downloaded WinRT will become paid in WP after merged if I understand it right).

I understand that it's unlikely could be achieved but would like to see if any alternative/work-around for this. Thanks!

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IP CAM Controller

Answer 1

You can publish an update to the windows phone app and link the windows store and phone app in the stores. This will allow anyone that purchased the free store version to own the phone version also. I don't think there is anyway to tell when or how much the user paid for the app to tell if they should be "ad free"

Answer 2

that was the approach:)

I changed the store app from free to paid, so that to align with phone app, once user paid the app it has ad-free. For existing users, it's exactly as what you described above, paid phone app users will not be affected, users who paid for "ad free" IAP will also have a paid copy (which was free for download) of both phone and store app, because they downloaded the store app previously, and so they are still entitled to ad free. The only "down side" if I have to say, is that all trial users of the store app will become ad-free paid users even thought they were not paying anything. But this is much less important by comparing the advantages I could have going forward, just consider a "giving away" special offer for users had supported my app.

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IP CAM Controller