Apple now locking App Store screenshots to cut down on scamming

By Cody Lee on Jan 9, 2013

Have you ever downloaded an app on your iPhone or iPad, and it didn’t look anything like the screenshots in the App Store? If so, you wouldn’t be alone. Switching screenshots after Apple has approved an app has become a popular tactic for scammers.

But we have some good news this afternoon. Apple announced to developers today that, starting this week, all App Store screenshots will be locked after they are approved. And they’ll stay that way until a developer submits a binary for an app update… Read More

 

Google invites iOS devs to ‘do cool things that matter’

By Christian Zibreg on Dec 28, 2012

Google is determined to become the top iOS developer in terms of quality and presence. Already the company’s Gmail, YouTube, Google+, Maps, Search and other products are found on many people’s home screens. In fact, YouTube and Maps topped the list of most downloaded apps on Christmas Day. And now, the Mountain View, California-headquartered Internet giant has launched a web ad campaign to promote its presence on the Apple platform and invite developers to ‘do cool things that matter’ on iOS. It’s a nice vote of confidence and a sign that Google in no way intends to leave iOS users behind and lose a a treasure trove of data it collects on use through its iOS apps… Read More

 

Apple trolling us with Apple TV apps and games?

By Christian Zibreg on Dec 10, 2012

Ahead of this year’s WWDC, BGR editor Jonathan Geller claimed Apple would release a software development kit allowing developers to write third-party apps for the $99 Apple TV set-top box. His prediction was incorrect because to this date the hardware runs just a few stock apps as Apple’s been consistent in disregarding calls to open up the platform to third-party programmers.

Gene Munster, arguably the biggest proponent of a standalone Apple television set, has no doubt in his mind that apps are coming to your telly, recently predicting Cupertino will offer an updated Apple TV box with a TV app store as early as next year. In fact, Apple may have inadvertently leaked this capability because the Apple TV’s Movies menu has been spotted running banners that promote holiday apps and games… Read More

 

Google I/O 2013 slated for May 15-17 at San Francisco’s Moscone West

By Christian Zibreg on Dec 4, 2012

Save the date for Google I/O 2013: today, the search giant confirmed its upcoming annual developer conference will run in San Francisco from May 15 through May 17, 2013. The three-day pilgrimage, just 162 days away, is bound to garner media interest with updates to Google’s key consumer products, namely Android, Nexus gadgets and the Chrome browser.

And what technology conference would it be without a few surprise announcements here and there? Curiously enough, with Google I/O 2013 the company is back to holding its biggest yearly event ahead of Apple, whose WWDC normally runs in June or July… Read More

 

Apple rolls out iOS 6.1 beta 3 to developers

By Cody Lee on Dec 3, 2012

Apple has seeded a third beta of iOS 6.1 to developers this morning. The update, which includes “bug fixes and other improvements,” comes nearly three weeks after beta 2. The new firmware is now available via an OTA update or through Apple’s developer portal… Read More

 

Android apps revenue now growing quicker than iOS apps revenue

By Oliver Haslam on Nov 30, 2012

Owners of iPhones and iPads have historically pointed to the App Store’s plethora of quality produce as the reason for the platform’s dominance. It’s always been the reason many have chosen iOS devices over those powered by Android, but things may be beginning to shift in a whole new direction.

While app developers have always suggested that getting Android users to buy apps is an exercise in futility, a new report claims that things are changing, with Android developers now finding a much improved landscape, as revenue from Android devices grows quicker than that of the App Store.

And not just by a little bit, either… Read More

 

App economy: a reality check

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 18, 2012

The App Store launched in the summer of 2008 with 500 apps. Though late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs initially resisted opening the iPhone to developers, the store went on to change the device from a simple cell phone into a powerful mobile computer. Thirty-five billion downloads later, Apple has progressed to pay a total of $6.5 billion to developers in app revenue after taking a customary 30 percent cut of the action.

But of the more than 700,000 apps now available on the App Store – or a ‘candy store’ as tech columnist David Pogue nicknamed it – including more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, only a small selection turned their makers into instant millionaires.

The vast majority of developers barely break even. And of those who turn notable profits, not many quit their day jobs. Yet, the dream of becoming a millionaire overnight with a hit app lives on. So what’s wrong with this picture?

Read More

 

Apple warns of App Store freeze, December 21-28

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 8, 2012

Apple in an email communication sent to its registered developers confirmed that it will be shutting down the iTunes Connect service for the holidays, between December 21-28. During that period, developers will not be able to use the iTunes Connect portal to upload new app submissions, make price changes or update apps. As a result, the state of the App Store will remain frozen for the holidays so customers should not expect new apps or app updates… Read More

 

Apple seen removing emoji apps from the App Store

By Cody Lee on Nov 2, 2012

This is kind of interesting. With iOS 6 bringing expanded emoji support, it looks like Apple has decided to do something about the large number of emoji apps in the App Store.

According to a new report, several developers have received letters from the company, stating that their emoji apps are being removed now that the feature is built-in to iOS… Read More

 

Apple seeds iOS 6.1 Beta to developers with Maps Kit improvements

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 1, 2012

Hot on the heels of fixing numerous bugs with an incremental iOS 6.0.1 update that was released to end-users an hour ago, Apple has now seeded iOS 6.1 Beta to its registered developers. The software is provided for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad alongside the new Xcode 4.6 Beta integrated development environment.

At first glance, it seems iOS 6.1 will allow apps to ask the operating system to programmatically search for map-based addresses and points of interest. A new Reset Advertising Identifier button has been added to Advertising Settings and the date must match for Passbook passes to be relevant … Read More

 

Apple to convene Lightning developer pow-wow in November

By Ed Sutherland on Oct 17, 2012

Apple is expected in early November to lay down the law to its developers on producing Lightning connectors. Among the Apple edicts: Lightning pins will be strictly controlled by the iPhone maker, which will provide them to “approved [developers] with production quantities of the pin once their product is determined to have met its standards and specifications,” according to TechCrunch.

As for potential knock-offs, the blog cites a source who warns lawsuits and import confiscations could be in their future. Without providing details, the source described as being “close to the program,” suggests the Cupertino, Calif. company will provide “additional security against low-quality copies” of the new iDevice connector… Read More

 

Developers say Apple knew about Maps issues months ahead of launch

By Cody Lee on Oct 10, 2012

With all of the criticism and complaints Apple has received over its new Maps application in iOS 6, you have to wonder, how did it not know that it had all of these issues? Isn’t that what the three month beta testing period was for?

Well apparently, Apple was aware of the problems. A number of developers have come forward this week saying they submitted several bug reports to the company regarding Maps issues in the months leading up to its launch… Read More

 

Lodsys: more than 150 developers have licensed our patents

By Cody Lee on Oct 9, 2012

A little over a year ago, a patent licensing company by the name of Lodsys started going after app developers with its claimed in-app purchasing patents, threatening legal action if they didn’t agree to licensing deals.

The company went on to file infringement suits against a handful of developers, and eventually Apple got involved. And we haven’t really heard anything since then, until today, when Lodsys published a new blog post… Read More

 

Apple asks devs to send taller App Store screenies

By Christian Zibreg on Sep 20, 2012

With less than 24 hours until tomorrow’s official iPhone 5 launch at 8am, Apple issued a note to its registered iOS developers, asking them to upload taller screenshots to comply with iPhone 5 requirements.

This concerns only developers updating apps for the iPhone 5 and the fifth-generation iPod touch, which both feature a taller 1136-by-640 pixel Retina display. The new screenshots dimensions are… Read More

 

Apple invites devs to update their apps for iOS 6

By Christian Zibreg on Sep 12, 2012

Following up on a series of product introductions from this morning, Apple is now emailing its registered developers to download the GM seed of the Xcode 4.5 developer tools and test their warez against the final iOS 6 code, which have both been released as part of today’s announcement bonanza.

The company is putting emphasis on its own mapping solution and is asking programmers to enhance their iOS apps with the new vector based engine in MapKit. Other areas of interest to developers: new camera APIs, tickets, loyalty cards, and other passes with Passbook, integrated Facebook sharing capabilities and more… Read More

 

Apple seeds iOS 6 GM to developers

By Cody Lee on Sep 12, 2012

Apple has seeded iOS 6 GM (Gold Master) to developers this afternoon. The GM version of software is typically the final beta release, used by devs to work out all the kinks before Apple pushes it out to the general public.

And if you happen to be a part of Apple’s iOS developer program, you can find iOS 6 GM in the dev center. Apple has also posted Xcode 4.5 GM. We’re downloading now, and will report back with anything noteworthy.

 

Apple expands Volume Purchase Program to 9 new countries

By Cody Lee on Sep 5, 2012

Last night, Apple posted a public notice to its dev center regarding the addition of 9 new countries to its Volume Purchase Program. The additions include France, Germany and the UK.

The Program, which was previously only available in the US, allows businesses and educational institutions to purchase and distribute apps and iBooks in bulk, at a significant discount… Read More

 

Apple releases new app and iTunes copyright claims tools

By Cody Lee on Aug 31, 2012

It seems that Apple is starting to take some major steps to cut down on the amount of copyright and content infringement found in iTunes, and more specifically, the App Store.

Yesterday, we noted that it had rejected an app because its icon looked too similar to that of another. And today we’ve learned that it’s launched new copyright claims tools… Read More

 

Devs say Doodle Jump still selling 300,000 copies per month

By Cody Lee on Aug 23, 2012

When the App Store first launched in 2008, it made a handful of developers extremely wealthy. Steve Demeter, for example, the creator of Trism, reportedly earned some $300,000 within a few months of the Store going live.

But since then, we haven’t really heard much in the way of major developer success — other than high-profile acquisitions, and yet the dream of becoming a millionaire overnight with a hit app lives on. And this is why… Read More

 

Apple seeds iOS 6 beta 4 to developers

By Cody Lee on Aug 6, 2012

Apple has seeded the fourth beta of its new iOS 6 software to developers this morning. The release comes just three weeks after the previous update.

As usual, the new beta is currently only available as an over-the-air update, but the full version should come up on the iOS developer center soon.

Update: iOS 6 beta 4 is now available in the dev center, and we have the full change log after the break…

Read More

 
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