You’re not allowed to create a crippled or discounted version per the App Store rules.
You are allowed to make the same version available elsewhere and pocket the margins.
This is what BBEdit has been doing for many years for example.
You are allowed to make the same version available elsewhere and pocket the margins.
This is what BBEdit has been doing for many years for example.
This is why you can't purchase kindle books from the iOS app and have to use a web browser to do it. Even that is kind of an exception (people already have existing Kindle libraries, so it's not really reasonable for Apple to tell them to go screw themselves - but you bet they're gonna demand 30% of on-device purchases!)
One pattern I've seen however in modern mobile games is that instead they use an loyalty program, where if you buy direct from them (at the same price) they give you free bonuses that you don't get on the iOS store. That satisfies the "equivalent price" and "no crippling" semi-rules but I suspect eventually Apple will decide to punish it too.