Making changes to existing IAP auto-renewable subscription in App Store Connect

Question

I have an existing app with a $0.99 monthly auto-renewing subscription. I need to change this to a $2.99 yearly auto-renewing subscription, but ensure users are notified by apple of the change so they can accept or decline it, just like when changing price of an existing subscription.

My plan right now is to create a 2.99/yr subscription in the same subscription group as the 0.99/mo subscription and then cancel the 0.99/mo subscription.

Will this notify users to cross grade to new subscription and just drop all my users without giving them option to change to new plan?

Answer 1

After opening a ticket with Apple Technical support, the response was

• For price changes to existing auto renew product in App Store connect, users are alerted and can accept
• for duration changes to existing auto renew product in App Store connect, its not documented what the behavior is

So the path I had to take was

• create a 2nd auto-renew product
• hide the 1st product in app so users don't see it as an option
• show banner in app to prompt the cross grade
• send push notifications to prompt the cross grade

I'd be curious what would have happened if I changed price and duration and hit save in App Store connect, but not worth it when I have millions of subscriptions.