8 ms·

New Apple Developer Guideline Bans Apps That Promote Other Apps

114 points by natesm 14y ago

rgbrgb 14y ago
Ironically, their new Maps app points you to a bunch of apps on the app store when you ask for transit directions.
- whazzmaster 14y ago
  Why is that ironic?
dirkdk 14y ago
Apple should rank apps based on actual usage not downloads. On the web we call unique users vanity metrics, and monthly active users the real deal. Why not the same for mobile?
- SoftwareMaven 14y ago
  Because I really don't want Apple tracking every time I open any app.
  - te_chris 14y ago
    I can put a network call in didFinishLaunchingwithOptions: and do that now easily.
  - matwood 14y ago
    You seem to think they don't already track this. I don't know what Apple does, but it's trivial to hook up Google Analytics to any app you create.
raldi 14y ago
Ah, so Zynga will have to remove one of the rows of crap they added to Words With Friends?
- drpgq 14y ago
  Wouldn't that be considered their own apps?
saurik 14y ago
"Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected." <- So, sounds like the rather benign goal of keeping developers from impersonating Apple's own payment channel and thereby confusing users into believing they are transacting with Apple and then to send Apple support issues.
- MaxGabriel 14y ago
  Apple just released the SKStoreProductViewController in iOS 6, which allows a user to access the app store from within an app (like a modal view that slides up from the bottom). In fact, the WWDC video presenting it uses cross-promotion of apps as its first example use of the view controller. If you're right about Apple's motivation, I would think using the SKStoreProductViewController would be an easy compromise for developers to take. Edit: If you haven't seen it before, this https://www.dropbox.com/s/eytnivsz5ft43mh/iOS%20Simulator%20Screen%20shot%20Oct%201%2C%202012%2012.42.47%20PM.png https://www.dropbox.com/s/eytnivsz5ft43mh/iOS%20Simulator%20...
  - jsatok 14y ago
    Agreed, SKStoreProductViewController is a great addition in iOS 6. Very powerful tool for developers.
- Codhisattva 14y ago
  Agreed. The headline here is a bit hyperbolic.
- eps 14y ago
  I actually wish they banned all cross-app promotion, which is the second most annoying thing after the in-app purchase promotions.
  - rooster117 14y ago
    I have personally experimented with TapJoy and even though it worked as a way of bumping my ranking for a small period of time I choose to never use it again and now that I understand those networks I would be pretty happy if they didn't exist anymore. I wouldn't want to get rid of all cross promotion though since if I really liked an app I may want to know more about other apps the developer made.
benguild 14y ago
We ran into this when I was working on App Map. http://appmap.mobi http://appmap.mobi It's just one of the roadblocks against cloning the App Store or just putting a spin on what Apple is doing. It's not a big deal as long as you're doing something different.
MatthewPhillips 14y ago
Sounds like all app recommendation apps will be going away.
twodayslate 14y ago
Hopefully this does not effect AppShopper[1]. It is a great resource and has saved me money. [1] http://appshopper.com/ http://appshopper.com/
drivingmenuts 14y ago
> “The whole point of the review guidelines is that Apple wants consumers to get the very best apps from the App Store, and they recognize that if it gets filled with garbage, discovery gets even worse, and that just hurts the platform,” Satok said in an interview. Both Apple and Google are way too late on that - they're getting proactive now that the cows have escaped and burned down the barn on the way out.
flocial 14y ago
If the paranoid reading of this article is valid then this could only mean more entrenchment for big name players.

114 points by natesm 14y ago

rgbrgb 14y ago

Ironically, their new Maps app points you to a bunch of apps on the app store when you ask for transit directions.

whazzmaster 14y ago
Why is that ironic?

dirkdk 14y ago

Apple should rank apps based on actual usage not downloads. On the web we call unique users vanity metrics, and monthly active users the real deal. Why not the same for mobile?

SoftwareMaven 14y ago
Because I really don't want Apple tracking every time I open any app.
- te_chris 14y ago
  I can put a network call in didFinishLaunchingwithOptions: and do that now easily.
- matwood 14y ago
  You seem to think they don't already track this. I don't know what Apple does, but it's trivial to hook up Google Analytics to any app you create.

raldi 14y ago

Ah, so Zynga will have to remove one of the rows of crap they added to Words With Friends?

drpgq 14y ago
Wouldn't that be considered their own apps?

saurik 14y ago

"Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected." <- So, sounds like the rather benign goal of keeping developers from impersonating Apple's own payment channel and thereby confusing users into believing they are transacting with Apple and then to send Apple support issues.

MaxGabriel 14y ago
Apple just released the SKStoreProductViewController in iOS 6, which allows a user to access the app store from within an app (like a modal view that slides up from the bottom). In fact, the WWDC video presenting it uses cross-promotion of apps as its first example use of the view controller. If you're right about Apple's motivation, I would think using the SKStoreProductViewController would be an easy compromise for developers to take. Edit: If you haven't seen it before, this https://www.dropbox.com/s/eytnivsz5ft43mh/iOS%20Simulator%20Screen%20shot%20Oct%201%2C%202012%2012.42.47%20PM.png https://www.dropbox.com/s/eytnivsz5ft43mh/iOS%20Simulator%20...
- jsatok 14y ago
  Agreed, SKStoreProductViewController is a great addition in iOS 6. Very powerful tool for developers.
Codhisattva 14y ago
Agreed. The headline here is a bit hyperbolic.
eps 14y ago
I actually wish they banned all cross-app promotion, which is the second most annoying thing after the in-app purchase promotions.
- rooster117 14y ago
  I have personally experimented with TapJoy and even though it worked as a way of bumping my ranking for a small period of time I choose to never use it again and now that I understand those networks I would be pretty happy if they didn't exist anymore. I wouldn't want to get rid of all cross promotion though since if I really liked an app I may want to know more about other apps the developer made.

benguild 14y ago

We ran into this when I was working on App Map. http://appmap.mobi http://appmap.mobi It's just one of the roadblocks against cloning the App Store or just putting a spin on what Apple is doing. It's not a big deal as long as you're doing something different.

MatthewPhillips 14y ago

Sounds like all app recommendation apps will be going away.

twodayslate 14y ago

Hopefully this does not effect AppShopper[1]. It is a great resource and has saved me money. [1] http://appshopper.com/ http://appshopper.com/

drivingmenuts 14y ago

> “The whole point of the review guidelines is that Apple wants consumers to get the very best apps from the App Store, and they recognize that if it gets filled with garbage, discovery gets even worse, and that just hurts the platform,” Satok said in an interview. Both Apple and Google are way too late on that - they're getting proactive now that the cows have escaped and burned down the barn on the way out.

flocial 14y ago

If the paranoid reading of this article is valid then this could only mean more entrenchment for big name players.