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Integrating Samsung IAP in Your Unity Game


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2021-05-11-01-banner.jpg

Galaxy Store is one of the top app stores to sell your Android games in many different countries. You can also sell various in-app purchase (IAP) items inside your games using the Samsung IAP SDK. As many of you now use the Unity engine to develop your games, Samsung has introduced a Unity plugin for the Samsung IAP SDK that enables you to implement IAP features. Follow the steps outlined in this blog to easily implement the Unity plugin into your project and utilize the Samsung IAP functionalities.

Prerequisites

It is assumed you are already familiar with the Samsung IAP procedure. If not, please read the IAP Helper programming guide carefully before proceeding further. After that, download the Samsung IAP Unity plugin package and go through its documentation. To avoid compatibility issues, make sure you meet the system requirements.

There are three types of IAP items:

  1. Consumable: can be used only one time and re-purchasable
  2. Non-consumable: can be used any number of times and not re-purchasable
  3. Subscription: can be used any number of times while it is active

For this example, we have developed a basic coin collecting game in Unity for Android and added UI buttons that allow users to buy IAP items (consumable and non-consumable) and a subscription. The “Buy Super Jump” button initiates purchasing a super jump item from Galaxy Store using the Samsung IAP SDK. Super jump is a consumable item which enables the player to jump higher than normal. Similarly, the “Upgrade Player” button initiates purchasing a player upgrade, which is a non-consumable item. This blog only covers consumable and non-consumable purchases, we’ll discuss subscriptions in a future blog.


2021-05-11-01-01.jpgFigure 1: Preview of the sample game developed in Unity.


Note: You are required to develop your game/application in Unity beforehand to integrate the IAP Unity plugin into it.

Integrate the Samsung IAP Unity plugin

After creating the game in Unity, you need to enable Samsung IAP functionalities in your project. Follow the steps below:

  1. Import the Samsung IAP Unity plugin package into the project. In Unity, click Assets -> Import Package -> Custom Package and select the downloaded plugin package.
  2. You can now see the Plugins folder under your Assets folder and the “SamsungIAP.cs” script at Assets/Plugins/Script.
  3. Copy or move the “SamsungIAP.cs” script into the default scripts folder of your project (where all the scripts are kept together) so that other scripts can access it easily. If you don’t already have a scripts folder, create a new one and keep all your project scripts together along with “SamsungIAP.cs.”
  4. Create an empty game object in the Hierarchy tab and drag-and-drop the “SamsungIAP.cs” script onto it. In our sample project, we have renamed the game object as “SamsungIAP.”
  5. Click on the “SamsungIAP” game object and check if the IAP functionality is enabled in the Inspector, as shown below:

2021-05-11-01-02.jpgFigure 2: Samsung IAP is enabled for the project.


Set the IAP operation mode

IAP supports three operational modes. The production mode is for enabling billing for item purchases and the other two are for testing IAP functions without billing the game users for item purchases. The default operation mode is set to OPERATION_MODE_TEST with the return value as Success, but you can set the return value to Failure instead, or switch to OPERATION_MODE_PRODUCTION by checking (√) the Production Build checkbox in the Inspector as shown in figure 2. You can learn more about the IAP operation modes and how they work from here.

Register the game and IAP items in Seller Portal

To process/test the Samsung IAP operations, both your game and any IAP items need to be registered in Seller Portal. Follow the steps below:

  1. Ensure you have switched the platform of your game to Android and the package name is different from the apps registered in other app stores. You can rename the package name of your project from Player Settings -> Other Settings.
  2. Save your Unity project and build the APK file. In Unity, go to File -> Build Settings and then click the Build button.
  3. Follow the steps listed in Register an app and in-app items in Seller Portal and complete the registration of your game and IAP items accordingly. For our sample game, we have registered a consumable and a non-consumable item with the IDs “BuySuperJump” and “BuyUpgradedPlayer” respectively. Keep the item IDs in mind as they will be required when initiating the purchases.
  4. You can add testers (non-licensed and licensed) in the Binary tab of Seller Portal while registering your game in the manner covered in the previous step. Licensed testers are not charged for purchasing any IAP items. You can register the licensed testers in your Seller Portal profile. See IAP Testing for more information.

Get previously purchased items

Make sure to retrieve any previously purchased non-consumable and unconsumed items every time the user starts the game. Use the GetOwnedList() method of the IAP plugin to get information about the items the user has already purchased. However, please note there is a script called “player.cs” in our project which is added to the main player game object as a component. From now on we will be editing the code in “player.cs” to enable all the Samsung IAP functions for this project. Follow the steps below:

  1. Add the following line at the beginning to access the Samsung IAP libraries in this script.

    using Samsung; 
    
  2. Call the GetOwnedList() method whenever the game launches by adding the following line at the beginning of the Start() method. Learn more about the GetOwnedList() method here.

    SamsungIAP.Instance.GetOwnedList(ItemType.all, OnGetOwnedList);
    
  3. After the processing of the GetOwnedList() method is completed, the OnGetOwnedList callback is triggered, which receives information about the specified purchased items and API call processing. We need to implement this callback method under the same class as in the following;

    void OnGetOwnedList(OwnedProductList _ownedProductList){
         if(_ownedProductList.errorInfo != null){
             if(_ownedProductList.errorInfo.errorCode == 0){// 0 means no error
                 if(_ownedProductList.results != null){
                     foreach(OwnedProductVo item in _ownedProductList.results){
                             if(item.mConsumableYN == "Y"){
                             //consume the consumable items and OnConsume callback is triggered afterwards                                                                      SamsungIAP.Instance.ConsumePurchasedItems(item.mPurchaseId, OnConsume);
                     }
                     if(item.mItemId == "BuySuperJump"){
                         superJump++;
                     }
                     else if(item.mItemId == "BuyUpgradedPlayer"){                         
                              playerMaterial = Resources.Load<Material>("playerMaterial");
                              MeshRenderer meshRenderer = GetComponent<MeshRenderer>();
                              meshRenderer.material = playerMaterial;                        
                     }                    
                 }
             } 
         }
    }
    

As you can see, some actions have been taken inside the game depending on the respective item IDs. For example, the super jump counter has been increased and the material of the player gets changed. If there is any consumable item which has not been reported as consumed, then the ConsumePurchasedItems() method is invoked. We describe this method in the next section.

Consume purchased consumable items

Use the ConsumePurchasedItems() method to report the purchased consumable item as consumed, which enables the item to be purchased again. See Acknowledge a purchased consumable item to understand this process better. When the process of the ConsumePurchasedItems() method in the previous section is finished, the item data and processing results are returned to the OnConsume callback method. We need to implement this method in the same way under the same class as we implemented the OnGetOwnedList method earlier.

void OnConsume(ConsumedList _consumedList){
     if(_consumedList.errorInfo != null){
         if(_consumedList.errorInfo.errorCode == 0){
             if(_consumedList.results != null){
                 foreach(ConsumeVo item in _consumedList.results){
                        if(item.mStatusCode == 0){
                            //successfully consumed and ready to be purchased again.
                        }
                 }
             }
         }
     }
}

Get purchasable IAP items

The users may want to see details of the available IAP items in the store for the game. The GetProductsDetails() method helps to retrieve detailed information (for example, item name, price, or ID) about the IAP items registered in your game that are available for users to purchase. There is a UI button “Available Items” in our sample game for querying the purchasable items. After clicking this button, brief information for each item is presented in a simple dropdown list next to the button (see figure 3). To get the list of available items:

  1. Declare a button variable and a dropdown variable in the beginning of the “player.cs” script.

    public Button getProductsButton;
    public Dropdown itemList;
    
  2. Add a listener method for the “Available Items” button at the end of the Start() method.

    getProductsButton.onClick.AddListener(OnGetProductsButton);
    
  3. To initiate the GetProductsDetails() method, we need to implement the listener OnGetProductsButton() method.

    void OnGetProductsButton(){
         //get all the product details
         SamsungIAP.Instance.GetProductsDetails("", OnGetProductsDetails); 
    }  
    
  4. After the processing is completed on the server side, the OnGetProductsDetails callback is triggered, which contains information about the available IAP items. Implement this callback method and add information of each item to the dropdown method so that the users can see them easily. In the example, we show only the item name and price.

    void OnGetProductsDetails(ProductInfoList _productList){
         if (_productList.errorInfo != null){
              if (_productList.errorInfo.errorCode == 0){// 0 means no error
                   if (_productList.results != null){
                        itemList.ClearOptions();
                        List<string> optionItems = new List<string>();
                        int i = 1;
                        foreach (ProductVo item in _productList.results){
                                string temp = i+ ". " + item.mItemName + ": $ " + item.mItemPrice;
                                optionItems.Add(temp);
                                i++;
                        }
                        itemList.AddOptions(optionItems);
                   }
              }
         }
    }
    

2021-05-11-01-03.jpgFigure 3: Showing the available IAP items in the game.


The information about all IAP items is shown in the dropdown menu as a list. You can show only one specific item or more items by specifying their IDs in the GetProductsDetails() method if you want. Learn more about the method here.

Purchase IAP items

There are two UI buttons (see figures 1 and 3) in our sample game, namely “Buy Super Jump” and “Upgrade Player,” for purchasing consumable and non-consumable items, respectively. The variables for these two buttons are declared in the beginning of the Start() method and two listener methods: OnBuySuperJumpButton() and OnUpgradePlayerButton() are added at the end of the Start() method of “player.cs” script. Consequently, tapping on these buttons invokes the corresponding methods in the script. Follow the steps below to complete in-app purchasing:

  1. To enable the “Buy Super Jump” and the “Upgrade Player” buttons purchasing a super jump and a player upgrade, we need to instantiate the StartPayment() method inside the button listeners with the corresponding item IDs.
    void OnBuySuperJumpButton(){
         //purchase a consumable item
         SamsungIAP.Instance.StartPayment("BuySuperJump", "", OnPayment);        
    }
    
    void OnUpgradePlayerButton(){
         //purchase a non-consumable item
         SamsungIAP.Instance.StartPayment("BuyUpgradedPlayer", "", OnPayment);
    }
    
  2. After the payment processing is completed, the OnPayment callback is triggered, which contains information about the purchased item, the transaction, and API call processing. We need to implement this callback method and act according to the item IDs as in the following:
    void OnPayment(PurchasedInfo _purchaseInfo){
         if(_purchaseInfo.errorInfo != null){
             if(_purchaseInfo.errorInfo.errorCode == 0){
                 if(_purchaseInfo.results != null){
                     //your purchase is successful
                     if(_purchaseInfo.results.mConsumableYN == "Y"){
                         //consume the consumable items                                                                                                                                                                SamsungIAP.Instance.ConsumePurchasedItems(_purchaseInfo.results.mPurchaseId, OnConsume);
                     }
                     if(_purchaseInfo.results.mItemId == "BuySuperJump"){
                         superJump++;
                     }
                     else if(_purchaseInfo.results.mItemId == "BuyUpgradedPlayer"){
                             playerMaterial = Resources.Load<Material>("playerMaterial");
                             MeshRenderer meshRenderer = GetComponent<MeshRenderer>();
                             meshRenderer.material = playerMaterial;
                     }
                 }
             }
         }
    }
    
  3. For the ConsumePurchasedItems() method, we have already implemented the OnConsume listener method.

In this way, in-app purchasing is fully implemented for both consumable and non-consumable items. Next, build the project, run it on your Galaxy device, and check that the IAP works flawlessly. In addition, you may update the APK of your game in Seller Portal and submit a beta version for more IAP testing. See the Test Guide to learn more about testing. Do not forget to switch the IAP operation mode to OPERATION_MODE_PRODUCTION before submitting the game to be published.

Conclusion

This tutorial explains the entire procedure of integrating the Samsung IAP Unity plugin and using the IAP functionalities for a sample game. Therefore, we hope that you can make use of this tutorial and develop an in-app purchase enabled game for Galaxy Store using Unity and sell your game items successfully to generate revenue.

Follow Up

This site has many resources for developers looking to build for and integrate with Samsung devices and services. Stay in touch with the latest news by creating a free account or by subscribing to our monthly newsletter. Visit the Marketing Resources page for information on promoting and distributing your apps. Finally, our developer forum is an excellent way to stay up-to-date on all things related to the Galaxy ecosystem.

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      That said, it’s worth noting that while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery and the iPhone 14 Pro Max offers a 4,323 mAh battery, it’s Apple’s iPhone that wins the test thanks to optimized applications and better integration between hardware and software.
      Image source: PhoneBuff During the tests, the YouTuber starts with a call, then texting, e-mail scrolling, web browsing, and Instagram scrolling. While both phones offer a similar experience, it’s during a 16-hours standby test that the iPhone’s battery drops way below Galaxy S23 Ultra from 73% to 66% (S23 Ultra stays at 69%).
      The experiment continues with watching YouTube videos, gaming, playing music, and sending Snapchats. That said, with the Snapchat app, Galaxy S23 Ultra loses the lead as the battery drains from 27% to 15%, and the iPhone remains with 16% of battery life.
      To end the test, the YouTuber kept opening all the apps he used from the test until the battery of one of the phones died. That said, it’s Galaxy S23 Ultra that turns off first. By the end of the trial, here’s how each phone performed:
      Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
      Active time: 11h06 Standby: 16h Total: 27h06 iPhone 14 Pro Max
      Active time: 11h44 Standby: 16h Total: 27h44 You can watch PhoneBuff with all testings in the full video below.
      Don't Miss: iPhone 15: Everything we know so farThe post iPhone 14 Pro Max tops Galaxy S23 Ultra in battery life test appeared first on BGR.
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    • By BGR
      DXOMARK recently published its Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review. While the company praises several features of the latest Samsung flagship, its scores show the camera, display, and audio capabilities lose by a lot to Apple’s latest iPhone 14 Pro models – and, sometimes, even the iPhone 13 Pro devices.
      According to DXOMARK, the Galaxy S23 Ultra has consistent camera performance in all features, can render photos properly, and has strong telephoto zoom performance at long range. On the other hand, the publication complains about the following:
      Loss of image detail in low-light situations; Exposure and focus instabilities, particularly in backlit scenes; Under sunlight, colorful content lacks nuances. On DXOMARK’s global ranking, the company tests three main categories: Camera, Display, and Audio. The Galaxy S23 Ultra loses for the iPhone 14 Pro models in these three categories. For example, in the Camera department, it scores 140, bringing it to the 10th position alongside the Google Pixel 7. Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro scores 141 in the 7th position and iPhone 14 Pro in the 4th position with a 146 score.
      Image source: José Adorno for BGR In the Display department, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scores 148 points. iPhone 14 Pro models have one point more, making them the first in the ranking. Interestingly, Samsung Display is responsible for panels in both Apple and Samsung flagships.
      Last but not least, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra scores 139 points in the Audio section, adding the smartphone to the 17th position alongside the iPhone 12 mini, 13 Pro Max, and 13 Pro. Samsung’s phone is beaten by Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro max, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max, ranging from 140 to 142 points.
      DXOMARK offers an in-depth look at its Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review and a video testing the camera, which you can watch below.
      Don't Miss: iPhone 14 Pro beats Galaxy S23 Ultra as fastest smartphoneThe post Galaxy S23 Ultra loses badly to iPhone 14 Pro in DXOMARK tests appeared first on BGR.
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    • By BGR
      Samsung crowned itself the king of the foldable market in repeated remarks recently because it was one of the first companies to adopt the form factor. But the main reason why Samsung outsold competitors had nothing to do with the Korean giant’s ability to manufacture great foldable devices. Samsung simply lacked competition in western markets, and it outspent rivals on advertising by an order of magnitude. That is also part of the reason why the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 might outsell other upcoming foldable phones.
      The new Samsung foldables will drop this summer. But, by the time they do, they’ll have to face several competitors. Chinese smartphone makers are coming to Europe in full force, hoping to put pressure on Samsung with devices like the Oppo Find N2 Flip. If you’re a Samsung fan, you can probably thank that competition for some of the best Galaxy Z Flip 5 rumored upgrades.
      Like any flagship, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will get hardware upgrades to keep up with tech advancements. That means a new processor as well as potential RAM and storage upgrades. Add camera and battery improvements to that, and you get a brand-new foldable flagship that’s better than its predecessor. That’s essentially what Samsung has done since the first Flip model.
      Oppo Find N2 Flip foldable phone: External display. Image source: Oppo But the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is already rumored to get a larger external display than its predecessor. More importantly, the external display will reportedly be larger than the Oppo Find N2 Flip that the Chinese smartphone maker just launched internationally.
      Moreover, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 should feature a brand-new hinge design that will reduce the visibility of the foldable’s display crease. Again, you can thank the same Find N2 Flip for pushing Samsung in this direction.
      The Oppo handset features a large 3.26-inch external display that provides a lot more at-a-glance information than the Flip 4’s 1.9-inch cover screen.
      Oppo Find N2 Flip foldable phone: New hinge design. Image source: Oppo The Find N2 Flip also rocks a new hinge with a miniaturized design that has fewer components than the first-gen Oppo hinge. According to the company, the hinge is more compact than ever, which leaves more internal space for the battery capacity. The hinge has no gap either when you fold the handset, and it can withstand more than 400,000 folds and unfolds.
      Make no mistake, Samsung isn’t designing the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in response to the Oppo handset. Rumors going back to early December said the Galaxy Z Flip 5 would have a much larger cover display, which could measure more than 3 inches. The same leaks said a new hinge design is coming, with Samsung aiming to reduce the visibility of the crease.
      More recently, leaker Ice Universe tweeted that he can confirm the Flip 5’s cover display is larger than the one on the Oppo Find N2 Flip. Samsung probably settled on these design changes a while ago. But the foldable phone maker knew its competitors were about to exit China.
      Samsung also supplies components for foldable devices, so it might have an idea of what’s coming next from rival companies. Even without supply contracts, the China-bound foldable devices from last year were already great Fold and Flip competitors.
      Also, Samsung likely wanted to increase the size of the Z Flip’s external display. The same goes for improving the hinge.
      Could it have done all this in time for the Z Flip 4’s release, though? Probably, considering the advancements Samsung has made in recent years, starting with the Fold 3 and Flip 3. But the point is that Samsung never felt the pressure to innovate before. The Fold and Flip were the only foldables worth buying in international markets.
      With the Oppo Find N2 Flip’s arrival, Samsung has to impress shoppers this summer when the Galaxy Z Flip 5 arrives. And it must prove that it can innovate in the foldable space at the same pace as rivals.
      Don't Miss: $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra has a screen defect that Samsung calls normalThe post Why Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover display and hinge upgrades took so long appeared first on BGR.
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