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Apple Asks Developers to Choose New Age Categories for Kids Apps Ahead of iOS 7 Launch

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,847



Apple today sent an email to registered developers asking them to choose a new age range for apps directed at children as part of a new Kids category that the company plans to introduce to the App Store with iOS 7. Available age ranges are 5 and under, 6-8, and 9-11, with each app only able to be assigned to a single category at a time.

appsforkids.png
At WWDC, we announced a new Kids category for the App Store in iOS 7. The new category provides parents with a place on the App Store to find age-appropriate apps for their children. If your app is made specifically for children aged 11 or under, you can now choose an age range for your app on the iTunes Connect website. The following age ranges are available:

- Ages 5 & under
- Ages 6-8
- Ages 9-11

You can only choose one age range for each app. Apps approved for the Kids category will still have a primary and secondary category, but will also appear in a new, separate area of the App Store. To assign the Kids category to an already existing app, submit a new version of your app for review. Starting this fall, the currently existing Kids subcategory for game apps will no longer be displayed on the App Store.
Click to expand...
Earlier this week, Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines with an entirely new section regarding apps for children. Under the terms of the new rules, kids apps must include a privacy policy, may not include behavioral advertising (ads based on in-app activity, for example) and must ask for parental permission before before allowing children to access links to outside content or make in-app purchases.

iOS 7, with the new Kids Category, is expected to be released in the fall with an announcement coming as early as September 10.

Article Link: Apple Asks Developers to Choose New Age Categories for Kids Apps Ahead of iOS 7 Launch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/16/apple-asks-developers-to-choose-new-age-categories-for-kids-apps-ahead-of-ios-7-launch/
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tagy

macrumors 6502
Feb 3, 2003
254
44
UK
So if you have a finger print sensor, you record your kids print and then they can only access kids apps?
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
New Age categories for kids?

So... like what... Crystals, Auras, and Past Lives?
 
R

Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
mlody said:
I was thinking the same and totally agree. The disaparity what 2 years old, or 4 years old is capable off is huge.
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Exactly. What my god daughter did at 1 is vastly different then what she can did at 2. And now at 2.5...it's even night and day.

Lots of toy companies, especially learning toy companies break it down like this.

Birth - 12 Months
1 -2 Years
2 - 3 Years
3 - 4 Years
4+ Years

Seems to make sense for Apps.
 
jonnysods

jonnysods

macrumors G3
Sep 20, 2006
8,430
6,892
There & Back Again
Ryth said:
Exactly. What my god daughter did at 1 is vastly different then what she can did at 2. And now at 2.5...it's even night and day.

Lots of toy companies, especially learning toy companies break it down like this.

Birth - 12 Months
1 -2 Years
2 - 3 Years
3 - 4 Years
4+ Years

Seems to make sense for Apps.
Click to expand...

I agree. Those ages are so diverse. Motor and cognitive skills are so different.

Apps for 1 year olds. One day society is going to have the attention span of a squirrel on meth.
 
litmag01

litmag01

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2009
371
270
This is a great idea. Apple is already ahead of the game on this vs. GooglePlay and it's one of the reasons my chiled uses an iPad instead of the Nexus 7. It is so difficult to find good ratings on kids games out there.
 
O

otismotive77

macrumors 6502
May 18, 2013
467
0
how can a kid aged 5 and under play games on a phone, and i also think that this range should be extended to 13, a 13 year old is also a kid.
 
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richardalois

macrumors newbie
Aug 22, 2013
1
0
Bearing in mind how big the app business has become, the iTunes categories are pretty rubbish for app discovery. Just check out the lifestyle one. So the introduction of the kids category is a step in the right direction.
 
litmag01

litmag01

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2009
371
270
otismotive77 said:
really? oh my god:eek:....
Click to expand...

It's a funny sight, especially when you get two toddlers "working" on the iPhone. They seem to really like the puzzle games especially... and also moving and deleting apps. The latest accesability settings for locking out the home button were a godsend.
 
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