App Store Lessons: No promo codes for apps rated 17+

Developers whose apps meet the criteria for a 17+ rating in the App Store are now running into yet another roadblock, but this time it's not about getting their apps approved, it's about distributing them. Or, more specifically, distributing promo codes for them.

Typically, when a developer uploads a new version of an application to the App Store, they have the ability to create up to 50 promo codes, which they can then provide to media outlets for reviewing the application, give away to users in a contest, etc. Aside from some reasonable restrictions on their usage (you can't sell them, they expire after 28 days and are one-time use only), promo codes provide quite a bit of flexibility to developers of paid apps who wish to freely distribute their app to select individuals without having to worry about the hassles of exchanging device information and doing special ad-hoc builds.

So where is the problem? It's in the new app rating system that was released a few weeks ago. As it stands, neither the 3.0 software nor iTunes display parental warnings when using a promo code to purchase apps with a mature (17+) rating, so Apple has made the promo code functionality unavailable for apps that fall into that category. We were informed of this condition by a developer who prefers to remain anonymous.

This obviously puts developers of these apps in a bit of a bind, as well as eliminates the potential amount of sales that could come from being able to distribute promo copies. Developers in this position may be stuck doing ad-hoc builds or going back to the questionable practice of sending iTunes gift cards to reviewers.

And if you're thinking this just applies to the massive number of adult-oriented apps that have recently poured into the App Store, you're wrong. Apple specifies that any application that may contain high levels of offensive language, violence, sexual content, or references to drugs or alcohol receive a rating of 17+. But, according to Apple, apps that feature an embedded web browser or provide access to 3rd party content also automatically require the 17+ rating, regardless of the application's content or intended audience.

Here's hoping that Apple is already working on a solution to this, as the lost potential sales caused by this not only affect the developers of the individual apps, but the overall success of the App Store as well.

Update: Several developers have reported that they are now able to request promo codes for their 17+ rated apps. We have an updated post with details here.

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Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/17/app-updates-get-yer-fresh-app…

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Analysis / Opinion Apple iPhone App Store

Developers whose apps meet the criteria for a 17+ rating in the App Store are now running into yet another roadblock, but this time it's...

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Mentok

Let's not stop there: Any app that contains a TEXT EDIT API and allows me to type durty wurdz on top of a pic sh*t [del] [del] [del] [del] sorry should be given 17+.

I'm sure the next thing Apple will do is redact books from the book reader apps as well.

First we have Eucalyptus repressed from iGitmo *cough* AppStore, now we have it as 17+ over the Kama Sutra, Fanny Hill, and Catcher in the Rye.

Is anyone seeing a pattern here?

Steve Jobs, where are you? FIRE the S.O.B. who is enacting these utterly silly policies! To the readership out there, sorry, but 'fire the S.O.B.' [say all of it when you read it, it just flows, FtSOB from now on] is a set phrase for that thing you do when you need results and there's one jerk messing up the process.

There is one middle manager / exec / prude who is the policy head of the AppStore, now running it into the ground, and he needs to be... FIRED.

For basically blowing off devs at WWDC... ditto.

FtSOB!

And to the devs out there, there's nothing preventing you from porting your apps to Android, ChromeOS, or even the desktop Mac.

Apple STILL doesn't understand that they still need SJobs. Every time he leaves the company they lose direction and do stuff like this. So they definitely need him around to backhand or fire folks in situations like this.

Dear Steve, don't sit back and let them 'make mistakes'. Do what you do, and FtSOB.

And on the off chance that sjobs is that guy.. Dude, King Lear does not become you.

July 18 2009 at 2:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

phil

It's so preposterous that apple will approve an app but still punish it for being 17+ by not allowing them to promote themselves.

Cult of Mac posted a really candid Q&A yesterday with a developer who spoke about this issue with his "loaded" sex dice app:

http://cultofmac.com/q-a-how-sex-game-apps-get-approved-by-apple

July 17 2009 at 12:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Noah

Should the iPhone itself be rated 17+ since it includes the Safari browser?

July 17 2009 at 11:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

nonnus

this is just another app review sad joke

so now it seems any web app that works as browser with a url box has to be rated +17 just like any xxx app !
even though one pushes mature content and the other doesnt...

all apple processing in the last months has been terrible and this is just another example

they provide no info at all to developers,
allow them to set ratings just to keep rejecting updates until we put the rating they require !
it would be better if they set these ratings automatically, but i guess it would sound too censorship-alike so its better to keep this stupid approach that is just wasting resources, media would not like
this way is just some more dev mumbo jumbo...

likewise this new concept of not allowing +17 apps to use promos codes is just ridiculous, as i assume the restriction set on the end device will be respected regardless of the promo code being for +17 or +4 app so it makes no sense at all, as usual with app review related stuff

it is also intriguing why they let in a slew of xxx apps to now take this kind of damaging behavior to all the other non xxx apps that are treated same way, is it was already intriguing that apps that were accepted into app store are not allowed to have working promo codes but is totally ridiculous if it is applied to all the other apps

it was one of the few promo mechanisms available to devs, gone now

needless to say i have a non mature app i have developed,
iDownload,
that is now being required to have a +17 rating,
(not that app review has given any info, they just blindlessly rejected any other rating and spent a week to let me know, all this while i am waiting for a whole month for a critical bug fix to be released),
this was already bad enough

but now it seems i wont even be allowed to provide promo codes for review sites ????

it would be better if they had never let the xxx apps in to the app store,
it got a lot worse since then...

July 17 2009 at 11:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Noah

The next Tweetie update will make it 17+. Heh.

July 17 2009 at 10:44 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rick

I fail to see how this is something Apple needs to fix as the article suggests. It's their store, their policy, deal with it. If you have an adult app, it's on you to promote it. Simple. Loss of sales? Ah, well, then tone it down for the masses, since the masses aren't adults. Duh.

July 17 2009 at 9:25 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Rick's comment

TuxToaster

I would be inclined to agree, if this only affected adult-oriented apps. But as noted, other apps fall under the 17+ as well.

If you have an e-Book reader that searches a public repository, like the Gutenberg project, it gets a 17+ because someone *may* be able to read the Kama Sutra or similar books with it. If you have an app with an embedded web browser, so the user can browse the web without having to leave the app, that gets a 17+ as well, even if the app is not adult-oriented.

This is why I believe Apple needs to change something. Even making it so if an app that is otherwise non-objectionable can display a popup when opening a browser to notify the user that the browser may allow them to access 3rd party content that is not controlled by the app, that would be a step in the right direction. But I just don't agree with their decision to place a broad 17+ rating on any app that *may* be able to access content, regardless of what the focus of the app is.

July 17 2009 at 10:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

George

Rick,
You miss the whole point of this article. The issue is NOT 'adult apps'. It is *ANY* app that includes an embedded browser, because, you know, someone COULD use said embedded browser to look at something naughty. Oh, e-books readers fall into this category as well.
Go to http://www.marco.org/143265621 and read that. It explains it from a developer who is going through this now.

Now, how is Apple any better than Microsoft or Google?

July 18 2009 at 3:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

madrns

For our drawing app Colors we already made sure the online-gallery has a checkbox for 'adult and or inappropriate' paintings...
Still this new insight scares me into thinking they are going to label our app '17+' :(

http://colors.collectingsmiles.com/

July 17 2009 at 8:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

robc.03

I can't help but find all this a little ridiculous. I wonder how many kids just lie and download apps that are rated 17+...they really have very little they can realistically do to stop it, why are they so up tight about it? Some interest groups breathing down their neck?

For all Apple does to stand out on its own as a company and always lead the way with new ideas and all, they seem to always fall back on catering to some least common denominator that is in a position to bitch and moan JUST loud enough that Apple is forced to listen, majority be damned.

July 17 2009 at 4:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to robc.03's comment

JKT

>"why are they so up tight about it? Some interest groups breathing down their neck?"

Based on other app store rejections (an e-book reader because it was able, if the user went out of their way, to get the Kama Sutra?), it's not 3rd party pressure. It's my belief that there are a couple of fundamentalists/evangelicals working in the app store review team or possibly even running it. These restrictions are too systemic and too stupid to be the result of mere fear of outside interest groups. What surprises (disappoints) me is that SJ hasn't recognized the problem and fixed it.

July 17 2009 at 6:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jesnq

Well, you still can't get any promo codes for non-US App Stores at all. Or for apps that are not sold in the US.

July 17 2009 at 4:02 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Fudmottin

This is so boneheaded that Steve Ballmer must have come up with it.

The iPhone is NOTHING without the app store and developers to populate the app store with compelling apps.

Out of the box, the iPhone is just an over priced phone. Only the app store and people willing to pay the $99 to develop on the iPhone (and iPod touch) makes it compelling.

I suppose Safari Mobile is a 17+ app now? What about Messages? What about the phone itself?

Apple needs to rescind this policy. Google can easily do an app store for their G1.

July 17 2009 at 3:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply