I've noticed while I'm out and about (specifically at HyVee and Walmart) that the Continuity prompt (bottom-left corner of the lock screen) shows the App Store. When I open it, it takes me to their respective apps to be downloaded.
I thought that Continuity only shared to other devices with your Apple ID, so how are they advertising their apps? Are they receiving App Store links from nearby iBeacons? Various Google Search terms haven't turned up any information.
This is the new Suggested Apps feature of iOS 8. This is an AppStore feature that uses geofences (not beacons) to find apps relevant to your location. The description of this feature in settings says:
Leaving this option turned on will allow iOS to offer suggestions for App Store apps that you do not already have installed. These can be based on what you already have installed or what people near you find interesting.
Apple's mechanism for suggesting apps is undocumented. Perhaps it is based on an algorithm (other folks regularly using an app in the vicinity), a database (known locations of major retailers), or paid marketing (e.g. Starbucks pays Apple to suggest their app when near one of their shops.) It could be a combination of all three.
I know that this technology is not based on beacons (at least not exclusively) because I received an app suggestion for Starbucks (without having the app installed) and then I immediately used a non-iOS-based beacon scanner that verified no beacons were in the vicinity.
Related
I've been developing a Swift app for a while now on my own individual developer account linked to my longstanding everyday AppleId - so the AppleId also has all my bought music, apps, appleTV and other content etc etc. As I have developed the app I have realised that it has considerable commercial potential, and so would rather release it under an organization (a private limited company) than under my own individual name.
The app itself is relatively straightforward, it is self-contained other than having a single non-consumable in app purchase. I have not yet uploaded the app to AppStoreConnect, although I have set up the app name and the in app purchase on AppStoreConnect for testing purposes. I would like to release in the quickest way possible now. Using XCode 14.
What is the quickest, most straightforward and trouble-free way to achieve my goal? Should I:
Release it under my own individual developer account and then ask apple to change my individual account to an organization account? Are there any complications with this given that this dev account is attached to my personal AppleId? How long does it usually take Apple to achieve the change? Does the App remain on sale throughout? Are there ever any problems or is there anything else I should be aware of?
OR
Set up a totally fresh AppleId and create a new developer account for the organization on this id? (I appreciate this will cost extra money but am willing to bear the cost). If I do this, how do I transfer the app from my individual account to the organization account? Do I have to go through the Apple 'transfer an app' process? Are there any pitfalls with this? When the transfer is complete, how do I alter my XCode set up to continue working on the app under the new account? Also, as I have not yet submitted the app to AppStore (although I have set up the name / IAP ) can I simply use XCode to point the app at the new account and upload it to that instead without invoking the Apple 'transfer an app' process - how would I alter my set up on XCode to achieve this?
I am currently in the process of setting up the company, and should have necessary info eg DUNS no etc fairly shortly.
While I'm familiar with development itself and I've already released one paid app on the AppStore under my own individual account attached to my everyday AppleId, this seemed to be a relatively simple and automated procedure. My main difficulties with my current problem seem to stem from the fact that I have never worked as part of a swift development team, and I understand very little around the actual 'architecture' of app development, eg XCode signing / teams / bundle ids etc, and I'm really struggling to understand the technicalities of the connection between XCode / Developer Account / AppStore Connect / AppleID.
I've looked through other posts on this topic but most seem several years out of date, and I am aware that AppStore functionality in this area has changed over the years.
Any help would be greatly appreciated - particularly if you can recommend which route to go down and answer any of my specific points. I have tried asking Apple, but all I get back are standard replies directing me to their app transfer process - unfortunately though I'm something of a solo outfit and I really need the benefit of people's experience here, as I need this process to go quickly and smoothly!
Cheers!
I've experienced a few apps that have had some time on the Mac App Store, but were later removed either by Apple or the developer for whatever reason. The developer then followed up with an offer where you could register the app by downloading one from their site onto your system with the App Store version already installed, which would unlock the full features of the new download.
How does one go about verifying an authentic purchase like that? Ideally I'd prefer examples in Swift if you would be so kind, but ObjC is manageable as well.
Here are official docs about receipt validation:
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/releasenotes/General/ValidateAppStoreReceipt/Introduction.html
There’s also WWDC 2013 video 308 called “Using Receipts to Protect Your Digital Sales”.
It’s recommended to implement your own validation code, but it’s overwhelming and error prone if you’re new to this. There are projects on GitHub that can get you started.
I've recently posted my Android app to Chrome Web Store using ARC Welder, and wondering about how I can make it a paid app.
Currently, for Android, I have a free version and an "unlocker" as a separate app on Google Play. The user installs the free version first, and then if he/she decides to "go pro", he/she purchases and installs the "unlocker" which talks to the free versions and activates it into "pro" mode.
So my questions:
When packaging an Android app with ARC, it runs on its own, so there is no way to have a second app ("unlocker") running in the same Android "sandbox", correct?
Is it possible for an Android / ARC app to access "purchased" state via Google Play APIs, say for checking if the user purchased the "unlocker" app on Android?
I assume that the answer is "no", at least for now:
https://developer.chrome.com/apps/getstarted_arc
Since ARC is in Beta, it doesn't support all of Google Play Services yet.
However, here are some available APIs:
Auth (OAuth2)
GCM
Google+ sign-in
Maps
Location
Ads
I don't see licensing APIs here.
I found these links on monetizing Chrome apps:
https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/money
https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/payments-iap
Even if this also applies to Chrome OS (not sure), it seems to require JavaScript coding to talk Chrome Webstore APIs. Is it possible to access those from inside the Android ARC sandbox?
Are there better options that I'm missing?
None? Should I just wait until Android ARC is fleshed out more and hope that it includes support for paid apps?
The direct answers are:
1) You can bundle up two APKs so they both run in the same sandbox. But only one of them is launched as "your app". It is free to then launch or otherwise use the second APK as it sees fit.
2) But as you noticed, there is no way to easily check for a purchase/license right now.
Your best bet may be to wait for the Google Play Services license APIs to be implemented.
My app have two version, one is total free, another have the trial mode.
so i want to check in code, when the user run the app, which one is free app, which one is in trial mode, and also if the already purchased by the user.
the IsTrial() api can only check the app with trial mode, is there api to determine if the app is free or not?
My app have two version, one is total free, another have the trial mode.
You shouldn't do this. Having two identical versions on the marketplace is considered spam. Instead you should have one version, with trial-mode being the equal of free, and paid being well.. paid.
But given you have two identical applications with different XAPs, you could just compile a different version...
My company needs to upload an app to the store , that will only be available to 80 people over the world that will get the permission to test it.
The ad-hoc method requires their iphones id's to be register with the app, and obviously we dont have it.
Whats the best way, to upload the app to the store ,to let this people to get it ?
(NO, without just go to the review process of apple)
thanks.
Besides the enterprise developer program, Ad-Hoc distribution is the only way to limit your audience.
If you try to game the app store with an unreasonable high price and promo codes (limit of 50 codes per app version) Apple will kick you out of the review process in no time.
Use testflight to get device IDs easier and deploy you app to the testers.
There is no way to do that, for the Adhoc, you must register their UDID devices.
You can upload the app in the AppStore, put it's price high, and give the prople that you want to test the app a redeem code that will download the app free, but i think the number of redeem code you have is 25. If you find anyway to do that, share it with us please.
If the 80 people that will be testing/using the app are employees of the company, you should look into the Enterprise Developer Program. Enterprise development lets you deploy an internal app to employees of your organization that is not released to the App Store. It essentially lets you build an Ad Hoc like version of your app that can then be installed on devices without the need to get UDIDs.
The cost is $299 instead of the normal $99 and there are a few caveats on whether or not your organization qualifies. But if you do qualify, it vastly simplifies deploying an internal app and it gives you specifically what you were asking for - no review and no need to ask for UDIDs. You can put the signed bundle up on a website and simply give people the URL to it for OTA installation, so you don't even need iTunes.
Alternatively, if the end users are not a part of your organization, you can also look into developing Custom B2B Apps. This one comes with a few more hoops to jump through and it also requires an Apple review, but it allows your app to be sold only to specific customers and doesn't put it in the App Store. If you're already a developer with Apple, there's even a WWDC video on it.