Management URL for Apple subscription does not work on Android

[alexvasilkov]

• [ +] I have updated Purchases SDK to the latest version
• [ +] I have read the Contribution Guidelines
• [ +] I have read the Help Center
• [ +] I have read docs.revenuecat.com
• [ +] I have searched for existing Github issues

Describe the bug
One of our users started a subscription on Apple device and tries to use it on Android device. Subscription itself is detected correctly, but PurchaserInfo.managementURL field is set to itms-apps://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions. This URI can't be opened on Android device, I think it should not be returned by Android SDK in this form then. Shouldn't it be https://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions instead?

Internal tracking:
https://app.shortcut.com/revenuecat/story/9860/fix-apple-management-url-for-android-devices

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[alexvasilkov]

Thanks bot, but I think there is enough info :)

Regarding https://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions link, it seems it does not make sense on Android either as it opens Apple Music website with no meaningful information. Is it possible to provide some meaningful info about Apple subscription to Android users?

I'm thinking to detect itms-apps://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions URI and just show in app dialog saying that subscription should be managed from iOS device.

[aboedo]

Hey @alexvasilkov! Thanks for opening!!
We're aware of this, I apologize for the inconvenience. The fix is in our backlog. I'll attach the link to this issue for reference and keep this open until we have a fix out.

[alexvasilkov]

Thanks for the swift reply! Can you maybe suggest a temporary workaround for the issue?

[aboedo]

The temporary workaround would be to detect the link, like you said, then direct the users to the correct place.

However, figuring out that correct place now seems to be, well, less than ideal:

• https://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions just takes you to apple music
• https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT202039 says that on an Android device, you should contact apple support, but the link they provide (https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=kbase&PGF=PGF63006&category_id=SC0060&symptom_id=23208) doesn't work everywhere: in Uruguay, for example, it takes you to this screen:

Which... takes you back to the previous page 🤦‍♂️

I'm going to report it, but in the meantime, detecting the itms-apps:// link and replacing it with https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=kbase&PGF=PGF63006&category_id=SC0060&symptom_id=23208 would probably be the best

[alexvasilkov]

Thanks for the workaround details.
The later link opens to "Tell us where you are" page, which is not immediatelly obvious for the users I think. Once providing my location I have options to manage my subscriptions (which leads to Apple Music again) and to contact Apple Support.

I guess there is no good way to manage Apple subscription from Android device after all. So maybe you can host your own webpage that will explain the situtaion to the user? Or maybe you can structure the SDK in a way that can automatically detect this case and display in-app dialog to the user? Just thinking what can be the best user experience here.

[aboedo]

@alexvasilkov that's a good point, and very valid feedback. I've shared this with the broader team to come up with clean alternatives for Android users who have an Apple subscription. I'll update here once we have a proper fix in place, and keep the issue open in the meantime

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale due to inactivity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Please reach out if you have additional information to help us investigate further!

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale due to inactivity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Please reach out if you have additional information to help us investigate further!

[UlyssesAlves]

In my view, this looks like to be an Apple issue, pretty unrelated to RevenueCat.

In this sense, I think one solution would be just sending the user to Apple's subscription page and forget about it. The user would then try to solve his problem with Apple. Also, Apple's purchase receipt contains instructions on how the user can manage his subscriptions, which again sends the user to the same Apple Music website, so this is probably really their way to solve their customers subscription issues.

Otherwise, we would only be trying to solve a problem which is not really ours. We, for example, would have to go through this same process to manage subscriptions we have bought from other apps. So there's no point on trying to fix something which is on Apple's end/side.

I think I'll just show a popup letting the user know that he can only manage his subscription on Apple and send him to the URL. It may also be that not many of my Apple subscribers will use my app on Android devices (an edege case), so it would not help much to spend so much time on this issue that, again, sounds more like to be an Apple's issue than ours.

[aboedo]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @UlyssesAlves, I agree.
It really seems crazy that subscription management is just not possible under some circumstances.
FWIW, filing feedbacks for Apple might be useful in getting it prioritized and fixed on their side.