Transferring App to another Account and problems with subscriptions

This article will explain more.

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Unfortunately there is no way to transfer ownership of an app from one Apple ID to another nor one Gmail Account to another with the case of Android sorry. We do not handle any of this, Apple and Google do. We are simply wholesalers on the platform.

As App developers, we are blinded to any and all customer accounting and software licensing of any of our apps – all developers are. So we have absolutely no say nor control in this aspect. This limitation by both AppStores, means we have no control and can not transfer to a new account.

So in the case of a subscription not working, Apple will give you a warning usually that the app must be purchased in order. The staff of the office then questions how is this possible. It is possible because someone changed the Apple account on the device to apply a subscription purchased on another account, however, the base app was never purchased under that account, so there is a mismatch, essentially fraud in Apple’s eyes, between the accounts. So the solution will be decide what Apple account needs to be used, and repurchase the application under the correct account which has the subscription.

So there are two main points to remember. The first is, you will need to repurchase the app and any in-app purchases when you change accounts. This is becuase at install, it is hard coded to the AppStore to the ID that purchased it and licensed it. That being said, if you simply change your ID on the device, when you run out of credits or go to buy something, either AppStore will throw an error and not allow you to do so. This is to protect against fraud. You may need to delete the application and do a fresh clean reinstall under the new Apple ID or Gmail account after repurchase.

Before you delete the app, you MUST make sure you have backed up the app data. We have ways of doing this if you let me know which version you had purchased (Apple iOS or Android). If the prior patient data is not important, or you already sent to clients or uploaded into EHR, not a problem, you can delete the app and reinstall it, you will have a clean slate for a database. You will then of course, have to repurchase any modules or in-app purchases under the new account. Please see below for steps in migrating your data if you wish to keep your data.

On Apple devices it is VERY important to perform a device level backup on the “old” existing Apple ID prior to deleting application or changing Apple ID. This will backup the state of your device. If you are a HIPAA covered entity or business associate, make it an encrypted computer backup on a computer your practice controls (Finder or Apple Devices with “Encrypt local backup” turned on): https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203977. If you work in health and fitness only, whether you use an iCloud device backup instead is up to you: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211228. **Always perform a device backup under the ORIGINAL Apple Account prior to deleting or changing your Apple account as well**. This is a fail safe should something go wrong. If you use iCloud, check that iCloud Backup is turned on and that you have enough iCloud space. Either way, you should always perform one last device backup prior to ever deleting the app or changing Apple ID.

Patient information and Apple iCloud: iCloud Backup, iCloud Photos and iCloud Drive are Apple services, not part of PostureCo’s services, and no agreement with PostureCo covers them.

• If you are a HIPAA covered entity or business associate (most practices that bill health insurance electronically are), you should take these precautions, because Apple’s iCloud terms do not allow you to use iCloud for protected health information (PHI): on both your old and new devices, turn off iCloud Backup for PostureScreen and any other PostureCo app that holds PHI (Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, or Storage > Backups, then choose this device and turn off PostureScreen); turn off “Save images to device Photos app” and “Save videos to device Photos app” in PostureScreen and keep patient photos out of the Photos app (with iCloud Photos on, they upload to iCloud; with it off, iCloud Backup can include them); and back up or move your records with PostureCo Cloud Services (Cloud Backup in the app), under a BAA we sign for U.S. healthcare practices on request, Quick Start (direct device-to-device transfer), or an encrypted computer backup you control.
• If you work in health and fitness only and are not covered by HIPAA, these precautions are recommended but optional. Whether you take them is up to you, as long as you follow any other privacy law that applies to you.

U.S. healthcare companies can request a BAA through our contact form (do not include any patient information in your request); it must be fully executed before you set up Cloud Services on a device that holds PHI, because uploads can start automatically. See Section 7 of our Terms of Service.

Further in similar manner, there is no way to transfer app purchases from Apple to Google or Google device to Apple. They are completely different stores and different apps, and Apple and Google are both competitors as well, and even if they could share, they would not from a business stand point.

***If you are simply getting a new Apple device and the Apple ID is not to be changed, follow Apple’s normal setup and restore process. During set up of your new Apple device, use the same Apple ID. HIPAA covered entities and business associates should move patient records with PostureCo Cloud Services (under a BAA we sign on request), use Quick Start to transfer directly from the old device (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210216), or restore from a recent encrypted computer backup of the old device. If you work in health and fitness only, you can instead choose on the new device to restore from a recent iCloud backup of the old device. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210217

SUGGESTED STEPS ON CHANGING AN APPLE ID

1. Backup your client data to our cloud service we offer. This is to be done prior to changing Apple account or deleting the application. See below for details. We also highly suggest a device level backup, using the method described above for your practice. The device backup under current Apple ID is to ensure a whole device image of your device is also backed up should you do something wrong. The more ways of backing up the better, as long as each one follows the guidance above for your practice.

2. Cancel any subscriptions you may have with the personal Apple ID like the unlimited assessment subscription

3. Uninstall PostureScreen

4. Reset the iPad and set it up with the new Apple ID

5. Re-Purchase PostureScreen and any upgrades/subscriptions with the new Apple ID

6. Restore your data back to the iPad from SyncScreen cloud.

BACKING UP & TRANSFERRING APP CLIENT/PATIENT DATA

On the iOS platform, You can transfer your app data but nothing else, and we do not have control as noted above with regards to purchases. Please watch this tutorial to understand more and realize we are simply wholesalers to Apple, meaning we do not control licensing how it relates to Apple IDs.

If you do change your Apple ID on that device you will likely need to delete and reinstall the application or you will not be able to use subscription nor make in-app purchases because the app was not licensed to the new Apple account, which makes sense, and so you will have to delete and reinstall it or buy it under the new account.

Preferred method of transferring your data once you have backed up to SyncScreen and changed your Apple ID and redownloaded the PostureScreen

(1.) Our SyncScreen cloud service. You would create a cloud account with your NEW iOS Device and then login to that new account on your OLD iOS device under SyncScreen section and upload your records to your cloud. You would then login to your SyncScreen cloud and download your records as needed. Here is information on SyncScreen: Cloud Backup (formerly known as SyncScreen), RemoteScreen and Backup

Once you verify you have all your client data, go back to a device under your old account and be sure any subscriptions were unsubscribed under the OLD apple account as they will keep charging that account. Here is how to unsubscribe if needed: As developers we do not have access to your account. If you are using an iOS device, and would like to view, edit, or cancel a subscription, here is how: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039

As you can see it will be a lot of work if you change Apple accounts, however it is possible, but Apple doesn’t make it easy as they are limiting people from sharing accounts, which protects against fraud, however, makes it difficult for legitimate changes like yours.