1. hello@flicktype.groups.io
   Date   
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Jean-Philippe Rykiel
 

Dear Ashley and Kosta,

oh wow! What's the matter with Apple?

Flick types needs money for further developments, including multilanguage support. I know it concerns only few of us on this list, but That could make the application expand a great deal.

BTW, have you ever thought of proposing Apple to buy Flick type? They don't have a very good native predictive keyboard do they?

I have no idea if it would be a good deal for you, it's just a thought.

in any case, $20 seems like a reasonable price.


all the best,

JPR



http://jeanphilipperykiel.com
http://soundcloud.com/ryksounet
http://twitter.com/ryksounet
http://facebook.com/jeanphilipperykiel

Le 21/11/2018 à 03:12, FlickType a écrit :
Thank you all for the support and suggestions.

We will reach out to them once more through the regular App Review channel to try and get this update through and see what happens. We will also reach out to the contacts you suggested. If you have more ideas or suggestions please keep them coming, we really appreciate all your input. I have spoken with Sarah Herrlinger in the past, but that was many years ago, so if someone knows her well enough to make an intro it could go a long way - please let us know at @FlickType.

If and when we switch to a one-off purchase model, we will make sure all current subscriptions remain valid throughout the current billing cycle, be it monthly or yearly. This does assume that Apple will be ok with maintaining the subscription for existing users, but not offering it to new users.

Finally, for anyone curious, here's our latest response to the App Review Team. Be aware that it's a few paragraphs long, and it might not make for the most exciting reading:

-------

Dear App Review Team,

We are writing in response to the most recent rejection of our assistive technology app "FlickType Keyboard", as communicated to us through the Resolution Center. We would like to note that we have previously received a rejection notice relating to the same 3.1.2 guideline. That rejection was eventually reversed after communicating with the review team, and while we don't have the transcripts of the phone calls, we'd like to include one of our previous written responses to provide some more context on the matter for your consideration:

While we understand that not all uses of auto-renewing subscriptions are appropriate, here are a few reasons why we believe our app is utilizing the service in an appropriate way:

- Section 3.1.2 of the App Store Review Guidelines states: "Apps may offer auto-renewing in-app purchase subscriptions, regardless of category on the App Store." It also goes on to state that "you must provide ongoing value to the customer" and that "examples of appropriate subscriptions include: [...], apps that offer consistent, substantive updates;". We hope that our track record on the App Store demonstrates that we are constantly and meaningfully increasing our app's value for our users, existing and new users alike.

- The target audience of this app is extremely small, consisting of iOS users who are completely blind or have severe visual impairments. To make up for the few potential users, products in the assistive technology industry are usually priced dramatically higher than their mainstream counterparts, further limiting the potential number of users and locking the entire industry into a vicious circle. Being able to offer our technology for just $1 a month has allowed a significant number of users to meaningfully improve their daily lives, users who would otherwise have not tried the app had they seen a higher, one-time purchase pricing model.

- A non-renewing monthly subscription, as previously suggested, would put an unnecessary extra burden on users who want to maintain their subscription, and are used to the automatic renewing subscription mechanism from almost every other subscription app. Our assistive app is also not something that is seasonal or only provides value for a short time, but is instead a critical component of their entire device given that a keyboard is used inside most other apps. Additionally, a non-renewing subscription potentially coupled with a one-time purchase option suffers from significantly increased development complexity, as well as the perception of a higher priced product that often prevents people from even proceeding to try something out.

- Drawing from our decade-long experience in assistive technology, we believe that low-priced renewing subscriptions are a vital ingredient for the success and growth of the industry in the future.

Ultimately, we understand that there are, and always will be, edge cases in judging the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions. We are also aware that the App Review process itself is not always perfect and we've happily communicated through the Resolution Center multiple times in the past. We think our current business model serves our users well, and we sincerely hope you reconsider your decision so that we can continue to develop and innovate on the iOS platform for years to come. If your decision on the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions in our case is indeed final, we kindly ask that we are given until our very next submission to implement a change in our business model so that we can have time to determine the right price for a Non-Consumable In-App Purchase, without delaying the release of the latest features to our users in the meantime.

Thank you for your consideration, and we are always happy to provide more information if needed.

Warmly,
Kosta & Ashley Eleftheriou
@FlickType


.
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Alan Lemly
 

Kosta and Ashley,

Your response to Apple is excellent. You've addressed the reasons within their rules of why you should be able to offer a subscription model and I think you should continue to argue your position provided you can do so without investing an inordinate amount of time. Otherwise, I'll pay whatever you have to charge to keep this going.

Alan Lemly

-----Original Message-----
From: hello@flicktype.groups.io [mailto:hello@flicktype.groups.io] On Behalf Of FlickType
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2018 8:12 PM
To: hello@flicktype.groups.io
Subject: Re: [FlickType] Upcoming pricing changes

Thank you all for the support and suggestions.

We will reach out to them once more through the regular App Review channel to try and get this update through and see what happens. We will also reach out to the contacts you suggested. If you have more ideas or suggestions please keep them coming, we really appreciate all your input. I have spoken with Sarah Herrlinger in the past, but that was many years ago, so if someone knows her well enough to make an intro it could go a long way - please let us know at @FlickType.

If and when we switch to a one-off purchase model, we will make sure all current subscriptions remain valid throughout the current billing cycle, be it monthly or yearly. This does assume that Apple will be ok with maintaining the subscription for existing users, but not offering it to new users.

Finally, for anyone curious, here's our latest response to the App Review Team. Be aware that it's a few paragraphs long, and it might not make for the most exciting reading:

-------

Dear App Review Team,

We are writing in response to the most recent rejection of our assistive technology app "FlickType Keyboard", as communicated to us through the Resolution Center. We would like to note that we have previously received a rejection notice relating to the same 3.1.2 guideline. That rejection was eventually reversed after communicating with the review team, and while we don't have the transcripts of the phone calls, we'd like to include one of our previous written responses to provide some more context on the matter for your consideration:

While we understand that not all uses of auto-renewing subscriptions are appropriate, here are a few reasons why we believe our app is utilizing the service in an appropriate way:

- Section 3.1.2 of the App Store Review Guidelines states: "Apps may offer auto-renewing in-app purchase subscriptions, regardless of category on the App Store." It also goes on to state that "you must provide ongoing value to the customer" and that "examples of appropriate subscriptions include: [...], apps that offer consistent, substantive updates;". We hope that our track record on the App Store demonstrates that we are constantly and meaningfully increasing our app's value for our users, existing and new users alike.

- The target audience of this app is extremely small, consisting of iOS users who are completely blind or have severe visual impairments. To make up for the few potential users, products in the assistive technology industry are usually priced dramatically higher than their mainstream counterparts, further limiting the potential number of users and locking the entire industry into a vicious circle. Being able to offer our technology for just $1 a month has allowed a significant number of users to meaningfully improve their daily lives, users who would otherwise have not tried the app had they seen a higher, one-time purchase pricing model.

- A non-renewing monthly subscription, as previously suggested, would put an unnecessary extra burden on users who want to maintain their subscription, and are used to the automatic renewing subscription mechanism from almost every other subscription app. Our assistive app is also not something that is seasonal or only provides value for a short time, but is instead a critical component of their entire device given that a keyboard is used inside most other apps. Additionally, a non-renewing subscription potentially coupled with a one-time purchase option suffers from significantly increased development complexity, as well as the perception of a higher priced product that often prevents people from even proceeding to try something out.

- Drawing from our decade-long experience in assistive technology, we believe that low-priced renewing subscriptions are a vital ingredient for the success and growth of the industry in the future.

Ultimately, we understand that there are, and always will be, edge cases in judging the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions. We are also aware that the App Review process itself is not always perfect and we've happily communicated through the Resolution Center multiple times in the past. We think our current business model serves our users well, and we sincerely hope you reconsider your decision so that we can continue to develop and innovate on the iOS platform for years to come. If your decision on the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions in our case is indeed final, we kindly ask that we are given until our very next submission to implement a change in our business model so that we can have time to determine the right price for a Non-Consumable In-App Purchase, without delaying the release of the latest features to our users in the meantime.

Thank you for your consideration, and we are always happy to provide more information if needed.

Warmly,
Kosta & Ashley Eleftheriou
@FlickType
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

JP Shandra
 

While I would have no issue stating my concerns to Apple. I would not recommend that for anyone without Kosta and Ashley being ok with that. This is a wonderful product. We don't want to put them in an awkward position with Apple.
Let them see what happens with the update. I certainly will lend my voice if they think that will help their cause.
Best,
JP 

On Tue, Nov 20, 2018 at 8:44 PM Sieghard Weitzel <sieghard@...> wrote:
You should also write to Rob from the Today in iOS Podcast and tell him this. His Podcast reaches a lot of people and he often includes accessibility and Voiceover related stuff. He is probably even willing to do an interview and while it would cost you half an hour of time or so it could generate some pressure.


-----Original Message-----
From: hello@flicktype.groups.io <hello@flicktype.groups.io> On Behalf Of FlickType
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2018 6:12 PM
To: hello@flicktype.groups.io
Subject: Re: [FlickType] Upcoming pricing changes

Thank you all for the support and suggestions.

We will reach out to them once more through the regular App Review channel to try and get this update through and see what happens. We will also reach out to the contacts you suggested. If you have more ideas or suggestions please keep them coming, we really appreciate all your input. I have spoken with Sarah Herrlinger in the past, but that was many years ago, so if someone knows her well enough to make an intro it could go a long way - please let us know at hello@....

If and when we switch to a one-off purchase model, we will make sure all current subscriptions remain valid throughout the current billing cycle, be it monthly or yearly. This does assume that Apple will be ok with maintaining the subscription for existing users, but not offering it to new users.

Finally, for anyone curious, here's our latest response to the App Review Team. Be aware that it's a few paragraphs long, and it might not make for the most exciting reading:

-------

Dear App Review Team,

We are writing in response to the most recent rejection of our assistive technology app "FlickType Keyboard", as communicated to us through the Resolution Center. We would like to note that we have previously received a rejection notice relating to the same 3.1.2 guideline. That rejection was eventually reversed after communicating with the review team, and while we don't have the transcripts of the phone calls, we'd like to include one of our previous written responses to provide some more context on the matter for your consideration:

While we understand that not all uses of auto-renewing subscriptions are appropriate, here are a few reasons why we believe our app is utilizing the service in an appropriate way:

- Section 3.1.2 of the App Store Review Guidelines states: "Apps may offer auto-renewing in-app purchase subscriptions, regardless of category on the App Store." It also goes on to state that "you must provide ongoing value to the customer" and that "examples of appropriate subscriptions include: [...], apps that offer consistent, substantive updates;". We hope that our track record on the App Store demonstrates that we are constantly and meaningfully increasing our app's value for our users, existing and new users alike.

- The target audience of this app is extremely small, consisting of iOS users who are completely blind or have severe visual impairments. To make up for the few potential users, products in the assistive technology industry are usually priced dramatically higher than their mainstream counterparts, further limiting the potential number of users and locking the entire industry into a vicious circle. Being able to offer our technology for just $1 a month has allowed a significant number of users to meaningfully improve their daily lives, users who would otherwise have not tried the app had they seen a higher, one-time purchase pricing model.

- A non-renewing monthly subscription, as previously suggested, would put an unnecessary extra burden on users who want to maintain their subscription, and are used to the automatic renewing subscription mechanism from almost every other subscription app. Our assistive app is also not something that is seasonal or only provides value for a short time, but is instead a critical component of their entire device given that a keyboard is used inside most other apps. Additionally, a non-renewing subscription potentially coupled with a one-time purchase option suffers from significantly increased development complexity, as well as the perception of a higher priced product that often prevents people from even proceeding to try something out.

- Drawing from our decade-long experience in assistive technology, we believe that low-priced renewing subscriptions are a vital ingredient for the success and growth of the industry in the future.

Ultimately, we understand that there are, and always will be, edge cases in judging the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions. We are also aware that the App Review process itself is not always perfect and we've happily communicated through the Resolution Center multiple times in the past. We think our current business model serves our users well, and we sincerely hope you reconsider your decision so that we can continue to develop and innovate on the iOS platform for years to come. If your decision on the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions in our case is indeed final, we kindly ask that we are given until our very next submission to implement a change in our business model so that we can have time to determine the right price for a Non-Consumable In-App Purchase, without delaying the release of the latest features to our users in the meantime.

Thank you for your consideration, and we are always happy to provide more information if needed.

Warmly,
Kosta & Ashley Eleftheriou
@FlickType
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Sieghard Weitzel
 

You should also write to Rob from the Today in iOS Podcast and tell him this. His Podcast reaches a lot of people and he often includes accessibility and Voiceover related stuff. He is probably even willing to do an interview and while it would cost you half an hour of time or so it could generate some pressure.

-----Original Message-----
From: hello@flicktype.groups.io <hello@flicktype.groups.io> On Behalf Of FlickType
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2018 6:12 PM
To: hello@flicktype.groups.io
Subject: Re: [FlickType] Upcoming pricing changes

Thank you all for the support and suggestions.

We will reach out to them once more through the regular App Review channel to try and get this update through and see what happens. We will also reach out to the contacts you suggested. If you have more ideas or suggestions please keep them coming, we really appreciate all your input. I have spoken with Sarah Herrlinger in the past, but that was many years ago, so if someone knows her well enough to make an intro it could go a long way - please let us know at @FlickType.

If and when we switch to a one-off purchase model, we will make sure all current subscriptions remain valid throughout the current billing cycle, be it monthly or yearly. This does assume that Apple will be ok with maintaining the subscription for existing users, but not offering it to new users.

Finally, for anyone curious, here's our latest response to the App Review Team. Be aware that it's a few paragraphs long, and it might not make for the most exciting reading:

-------

Dear App Review Team,

We are writing in response to the most recent rejection of our assistive technology app "FlickType Keyboard", as communicated to us through the Resolution Center. We would like to note that we have previously received a rejection notice relating to the same 3.1.2 guideline. That rejection was eventually reversed after communicating with the review team, and while we don't have the transcripts of the phone calls, we'd like to include one of our previous written responses to provide some more context on the matter for your consideration:

While we understand that not all uses of auto-renewing subscriptions are appropriate, here are a few reasons why we believe our app is utilizing the service in an appropriate way:

- Section 3.1.2 of the App Store Review Guidelines states: "Apps may offer auto-renewing in-app purchase subscriptions, regardless of category on the App Store." It also goes on to state that "you must provide ongoing value to the customer" and that "examples of appropriate subscriptions include: [...], apps that offer consistent, substantive updates;". We hope that our track record on the App Store demonstrates that we are constantly and meaningfully increasing our app's value for our users, existing and new users alike.

- The target audience of this app is extremely small, consisting of iOS users who are completely blind or have severe visual impairments. To make up for the few potential users, products in the assistive technology industry are usually priced dramatically higher than their mainstream counterparts, further limiting the potential number of users and locking the entire industry into a vicious circle. Being able to offer our technology for just $1 a month has allowed a significant number of users to meaningfully improve their daily lives, users who would otherwise have not tried the app had they seen a higher, one-time purchase pricing model.

- A non-renewing monthly subscription, as previously suggested, would put an unnecessary extra burden on users who want to maintain their subscription, and are used to the automatic renewing subscription mechanism from almost every other subscription app. Our assistive app is also not something that is seasonal or only provides value for a short time, but is instead a critical component of their entire device given that a keyboard is used inside most other apps. Additionally, a non-renewing subscription potentially coupled with a one-time purchase option suffers from significantly increased development complexity, as well as the perception of a higher priced product that often prevents people from even proceeding to try something out.

- Drawing from our decade-long experience in assistive technology, we believe that low-priced renewing subscriptions are a vital ingredient for the success and growth of the industry in the future.

Ultimately, we understand that there are, and always will be, edge cases in judging the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions. We are also aware that the App Review process itself is not always perfect and we've happily communicated through the Resolution Center multiple times in the past. We think our current business model serves our users well, and we sincerely hope you reconsider your decision so that we can continue to develop and innovate on the iOS platform for years to come. If your decision on the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions in our case is indeed final, we kindly ask that we are given until our very next submission to implement a change in our business model so that we can have time to determine the right price for a Non-Consumable In-App Purchase, without delaying the release of the latest features to our users in the meantime.

Thank you for your consideration, and we are always happy to provide more information if needed.

Warmly,
Kosta & Ashley Eleftheriou
@FlickType
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Sieghard Weitzel
 

And everybody who replies here should also send an email to Apple Accessibility to complain that they are making it so difficult.

Here are my two cents worth:

I assume first of all that those of us who have purchased an annual subscription can use Flicktype until said subscription runs out.

As for a one-time purchase price, can't you release a "new major" version in two or three years which again requires those who want it to pay? I have seen a few apps where that was done and this way you could say charge $19.99 or $29.99 and in 3 years release a version which again requires those who want it to pay. This way it's almost like charging $10 or $12 a year.

 

Regards,

Sieghard

 

From: hello@flicktype.groups.io <hello@flicktype.groups.io> On Behalf Of Chuck Dean via Groups.Io
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2018 4:37 PM
To: hello@flicktype.groups.io
Subject: Re: [FlickType] Upcoming pricing changes

 

Hi Kosta and Ashley,

Perhaps you should contact Apple Accessibility. They may be able to get the right people to do the right thing.

 

 

Chuck (mobile)

Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.

 


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:20 PM, FlickType <hello@...> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

George Cham
 

Hi costa and Ashley,
The annual price increase  will depend on the local exchange rate of the country that the user is in.
As previously mentioned, blind fold games had the same problems with updates of the app.
You could try get in contact with  Apple accessibility  

Kind Regards,
George Cham


‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’
Numbers 6:24-26


ey Get Outlook for iOS
 

From: hello@flicktype.groups.io on behalf of Gordon <gordon@...>
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2018 2:00 pm
To: hello@flicktype.groups.io
Subject: Re: [FlickType] Upcoming pricing changes
 

The cool thing about the subscription model is that it offers a constant cash flow each month. Flick type is a specialized app made for us. And there are only so many of us who will need it. It's not an app that millions of people will buy and where new people will continue to buy. Once we all pay for it, that's the end of the cash flow.

On 11/20/2018 8:08 PM, Aaron wrote:

I know that many people would love to pay a one time price for the app and use it indefinitely. I would think that $15 or even $20 would be a good asking price. In fact, I would even pay that myself even being a beta tester. That is truly how much I believe in the flick type keyboard and what it does for typing faster.

 

 

Best,

Aaron Linson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-linson/

 

 

 

 
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Gordon
 

The cool thing about the subscription model is that it offers a constant cash flow each month. Flick type is a specialized app made for us. And there are only so many of us who will need it. It's not an app that millions of people will buy and where new people will continue to buy. Once we all pay for it, that's the end of the cash flow.

On 11/20/2018 8:08 PM, Aaron wrote:

I know that many people would love to pay a one time price for the app and use it indefinitely. I would think that $15 or even $20 would be a good asking price. In fact, I would even pay that myself even being a beta tester. That is truly how much I believe in the flick type keyboard and what it does for typing faster.

 

 

Best,

Aaron Linson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-linson/

 

 

 

 
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

David Goldfield
 

Hello.

The situation you're describing reminds me very much of what Blindfold Games went through. Apple eventually relented and I believe that it may have been due to a large public response. If you have not already done so, I would suggest that you post this message not only to Applevis but to the blindness mailing lists, particularly those which deal with Apple products. It is quite possible that Apple could be persuaded to relent as well. Like you I just want the product to be sustainable, as it is so useful and unique. I would gladly pay a higher price for it if it meant ensuring this.

David Goldfield, Assistive Technology Specialist WWW.David-Goldfield.Com

On 11/20/2018 6:20 PM, FlickType wrote:
Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta

Re: Upcoming pricing changes

FlickType
 
Edited

Thank you all for the support and suggestions.

We will reach out to them once more through the regular App Review channel to try and get this update through and see what happens. We will also reach out to the contacts you suggested. If you have more ideas or suggestions please keep them coming, we really appreciate all your input. I have spoken with Sarah Herrlinger in the past, but that was many years ago, so if someone knows her well enough to make an intro it could go a long way - please let us know at hello at flicktype.com.

If and when we switch to a one-off purchase model, we will make sure all current subscriptions remain valid throughout the current billing cycle, be it monthly or yearly. This does assume that Apple will be ok with maintaining the subscription for existing users, but not offering it to new users.

Finally, for anyone curious, here's our latest response to the App Review Team. Be aware that it's a few paragraphs long, and it might not make for the most exciting reading:

-------

Dear App Review Team,

We are writing in response to the most recent rejection of our assistive technology app "FlickType Keyboard", as communicated to us through the Resolution Center. We would like to note that we have previously received a rejection notice relating to the same 3.1.2 guideline. That rejection was eventually reversed after communicating with the review team, and while we don't have the transcripts of the phone calls, we'd like to include one of our previous written responses to provide some more context on the matter for your consideration:

While we understand that not all uses of auto-renewing subscriptions are appropriate, here are a few reasons why we believe our app is utilizing the service in an appropriate way:

- Section 3.1.2 of the App Store Review Guidelines states: "Apps may offer auto-renewing in-app purchase subscriptions, regardless of category on the App Store." It also goes on to state that "you must provide ongoing value to the customer" and that "examples of appropriate subscriptions include: [...], apps that offer consistent, substantive updates;". We hope that our track record on the App Store demonstrates that we are constantly and meaningfully increasing our app's value for our users, existing and new users alike.

- The target audience of this app is extremely small, consisting of iOS users who are completely blind or have severe visual impairments. To make up for the few potential users, products in the assistive technology industry are usually priced dramatically higher than their mainstream counterparts, further limiting the potential number of users and locking the entire industry into a vicious circle. Being able to offer our technology for just $1 a month has allowed a significant number of users to meaningfully improve their daily lives, users who would otherwise have not tried the app had they seen a higher, one-time purchase pricing model.

- A non-renewing monthly subscription, as previously suggested, would put an unnecessary extra burden on users who want to maintain their subscription, and are used to the automatic renewing subscription mechanism from almost every other subscription app. Our assistive app is also not something that is seasonal or only provides value for a short time, but is instead a critical component of their entire device given that a keyboard is used inside most other apps. Additionally, a non-renewing subscription potentially coupled with a one-time purchase option suffers from significantly increased development complexity, as well as the perception of a higher priced product that often prevents people from even proceeding to try something out.

- Drawing from our decade-long experience in assistive technology, we believe that low-priced renewing subscriptions are a vital ingredient for the success and growth of the industry in the future.

Ultimately, we understand that there are, and always will be, edge cases in judging the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions. We are also aware that the App Review process itself is not always perfect and we've happily communicated through the Resolution Center multiple times in the past. We think our current business model serves our users well, and we sincerely hope you reconsider your decision so that we can continue to develop and innovate on the iOS platform for years to come. If your decision on the appropriateness of auto-renewing subscriptions in our case is indeed final, we kindly ask that we are given until our very next submission to implement a change in our business model so that we can have time to determine the right price for a Non-Consumable In-App Purchase, without delaying the release of the latest features to our users in the meantime.

Thank you for your consideration, and we are always happy to provide more information if needed.

Warmly,
Kosta & Ashley Eleftheriou
https://www.flicktype.com
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Aaron
 

I know that many people would love to pay a one time price for the app and use it indefinitely. I would think that $15 or even $20 would be a good asking price. In fact, I would even pay that myself even being a beta tester. That is truly how much I believe in the flick type keyboard and what it does for typing faster.

 

 

Best,

Aaron Linson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-linson/

 

 

 

 
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

JP Shandra
 

Hello Ashley and Kosta,
This is a hard question when dealing with the Blind community. I am getting very frustrated with Apple, but I won't get started on that.
Most blind users aren't financially secure. I had no problem paying the $12 for the year. I would be willing to pay much more. This keyboard is invaluable to me. It makes life much easier. Although, I know many others just can't.
You guys no doubt need to be compensated fairly for time and value of your product.
Have you tried reaching out to Sarah Herrlinger? She is VP of Apple's Accessibility. There's no doubt that FlickType is a unique product that doesn't fit into the typical mold. If Apple is truly a champion for accessibility, they should be giving this keyboard its upmost support.
Best,
JP    

On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:44 PM, Paul Henrichsen <paul@...> wrote:


I am paying $12 per year for a podcast program. I wonder how that differs from flicktype?
 

Paul Henrichsen


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:38 PM, Chuck Dean via Groups.Io <chuckdean@...> wrote:

accessibility@...

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 5:36 PM, Chuck Dean via Groups.Io <chuckdean@...> wrote:

Hi Kosta and Ashley,
Perhaps you should contact Apple Accessibility. They may be able to get the right people to do the right thing.
 

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:20 PM, FlickType <hello@...> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Paul Henrichsen
 


I am paying $12 per year for a podcast program. I wonder how that differs from flicktype?
 

Paul Henrichsen


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:38 PM, Chuck Dean via Groups.Io <chuckdean@...> wrote:

accessibility@...

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 5:36 PM, Chuck Dean via Groups.Io <chuckdean@...> wrote:

Hi Kosta and Ashley,
Perhaps you should contact Apple Accessibility. They may be able to get the right people to do the right thing.
 

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:20 PM, FlickType <hello@...> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Chuck Dean
 

accessibility@...

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 5:36 PM, Chuck Dean via Groups.Io <chuckdean@...> wrote:

Hi Kosta and Ashley,
Perhaps you should contact Apple Accessibility. They may be able to get the right people to do the right thing.
 

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:20 PM, FlickType <hello@...> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Chuck Dean
 

Hi Kosta and Ashley,
Perhaps you should contact Apple Accessibility. They may be able to get the right people to do the right thing.
 

Chuck (mobile)
Pleez x cuze enny tie ping or spelin air ores.


On Nov 20, 2018, at 4:20 PM, FlickType <hello@...> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Paul Henrichsen
 

Hi. I would pay $20 or more. Because of flicktype, I am able to type much longer messages and an able to type them much faster than using the traditional keyboard.
You're also going to need to figure out how those of us who paid for a year will be charged.
Thanks.

Paul Henrichsen
paul@...
pfhj2000@...

On Nov 20, 2018, at 3:21 PM, FlickType <@FlickType> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Gordon
 

This keyboard has become a major part of my life. It enables me to type just as quickly as a sighted person. I type more using flick type than I do on my desktop keyboard. What is wrong with Apple? Don't one person make notes for the next person to read in specialized cases? I don't mind paying whatever I need to pay to continue to use flick type. I just hope that a price can be decided on that will benefit all who wish to use this app. shame on Apple for not doing something so simple as writing a note so that the next app reviewer will know what flick type is and what it does.

On 11/20/2018 5:20 PM, FlickType wrote:
Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Katie Epperson
 

What are your thoughts? I’ve never sold an app, but I can try to help

On Nov 20, 2018, at 3:20 PM, FlickType <@FlickType> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Liz and Hope
 

I know that a price needs to be economical for blind and visually impaired people to be able to afford this product. I think that $4.99 would be a reasonable fee for this keyboard. Whatever price you decide I will pay because our use FlickType 99% of the time at this point.
Liz Ulrich and leader Dog hope
HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ELIZABETH.ULRICH.1

On Nov 20, 2018, at 6:20 PM, FlickType <@FlickType> wrote:

Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

leonard morris
 

You stated, "We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard." Well, while the annual renewal subscription is relatively inexpensive how will I and others who elected for the annual pricing subscription option be impacted by the new pricing scheme whatever it happens to be determined by the developers?

On 11/20/2018 6:20 PM, FlickType wrote:
Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta

--
"Every country has an idenity, history, customs, and culture. It's a unique landscape in determining how its people live, work and play."
Re: Upcoming pricing changes

Christy S
 

Wow, that makes me wonder just what they consider an appropriate use of subscriptions? If there's one thing I don't like about apple, it's how controlling they are. Apparently, their communication with one another is a bit lacking, too.


Anyway, complaints aside, I'm curious what will happen for those of us who are already on subscription? Will we still have to pay whatever price? My personal thought for a price is perhaps $20. I don't know how sustainable that would be for you guys, though. I just know that many blind folks are sadly unemployed, so making a large one time purchase can be challenging.

On 11/20/2018 5:20 PM, FlickType wrote:
Dear FlickType friends,

We have had numerous rejections of FlickType by Apple over the last few months, most often due to the uncommon nature of our app being a keyboard for VoiceOver users. Usually the reviewer is confused by the way they need to operate the keyboard with VoiceOver, and it takes some back-and-forth before they eventually reverse their devision and let us release our updates to the App Store.

This past weekend, our update got rejected because, quote, "the app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service". This has happened before, and after our detailed explanation and position they agreed to reverse their decision at the time. It would seem that they have now either changed their policy, or this is a different person reviewing the app and for some reason they don't have the context of our earlier conversations. This is likely to happen again in the future, even if we succeed in getting the current update through.

Either way, App Store rejections and appeals to the App Review Board take a long time to resolve, time that we can better spend developing the app itself. We have therefore decided to drop the subscription model moving forward, and instead introduce a one-off purchasing fee for the system-wide keyboard, so that we at least eliminate one of the potential causes of App Store rejections and delays in the future.

We have not yet decided on the pricing, and in fact we'd love to hear some of your ideas on that. We are still hoping that we can find a price that is both reasonable for users, and also sustainable for us as a business. We also wanted to share this background information with you, and for you to be aware of the upcoming pricing changes.

Again, we welcome your thoughts in the matter, and we are thankful for all your support so far.

Warmly,
Kosta