Apple Introduces App Store Resource Center for iPhone Developers

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/18/apple-introduces-app-store-resource-center-for-iphone-developers/)

In an e-mail sent today to registered iPhone developers, Apple announced the introduction of the App Store Resource Center (http://developer.apple.com/iphone/appstore/) (iPhone developer membership required), a new site within the iPhone Dev Center dedicated to assisting developers with the App Store application process.We are pleased to introduce the App Store Resource Center, a single destination designed to make it easier for you to find details on everything you need to know about distributing your app on the App Store -- from how to prepare for app submission to managing your app once it's been posted.

Make sure you also check out the News and Announcements section of the iPhone Dev Center for tips on submitting your apps to the App Store, turnaround time for app review, new program features, and guidance on everything from development and testing to distribution and marketing.Apple has received a significant amount of criticism from iPhone developers who have been frustrated by a lack of information, impersonal form letter e-mails offering minimal rejection explanations and little opportunity for dialogue with reviewers, inefficient processing of application resubmissions, and inconsistent application acceptances and rejections. The App Store Resource Center looks to be a new step taken by Apple in response to these complaints, offering to assist developers in guiding their applications through the approval process.

Article Link: Apple Introduces App Store Resource Center for iPhone Developers (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/18/apple-introduces-app-store-resource-center-for-iphone-developers/)

[DrGruv1]

should be good..

[KnightWRX]

Apple has received a significant amount of criticism from iPhone developers who have been frustrated by a lack of information, impersonal form letter e-mails offering minimal rejection explanations and little opportunity for dialogue with reviewers, inefficient processing of application resubmissions, and inconsistent application acceptances and rejections.

Really ? Because *LTD* says everything is just dandy and the developers are pouring in.

I don't know what to believe anymore. :rolleyes:

[The Samurai]

Great news.

Anything which enhances the customer experience is always a good sign.

[admanimal]

So far I haven't seen any information in this "new" resource center that wasn't already on the developer site. I guess it is just somewhat more consolidated now.

[sohelpme]

This doesn't actually say ANYTHING about changing the actual app store approval process at all. There is no additional information about what criteria Apple is using to judge your application, or any mention of Apple providing more information as to when your application may be approved or rejected (as a global average is well, meaningless, to every app developer [the only ones who would care about this number are: 1) Apple marketing, 2) reporters], or any mention of whether Apple will provide more meaningful information as to why your app is rejected.

This sounds just like another feel-good marketing email to try to get some positive PR for Apple.

"Where's the beef?"

[ventro]

Screenshots?

[dagamer34]

iTunesConnect hasn't been updated and that's where all the real action takes place. Meh.

[Shadow%20Mac]

Here Ya Go

[twoodcc]

yep i got the email earlier this evening. should be good

[RazHyena]

Umm................ok? The problem developers are having with IS THE ACTUAL APPROVAL PROCESS. This doesn't address it at ALL.

For crying out loud.... :mad:

[rlvdijk]

At the moment the Apple Developer Connection is down with the yellow post-it saying:

[zed2]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7C144 Safari/528.16)

Hmmm doesn't let mr log in. Is this just for US developers? Or is the site down already

[darrylhj]

Works fine in the UK.

As already mentioned this centre is basically a collection of material already on the apple developer site, just in a condensed form. I hope they expand this area to maybe show your position in a queue, or to provide feedback how to best expedite updates to applications.

I have noticed that the update cycle is much much shorter than the queue for new apps.

[guet]

Anyone with experience of the approvals process knows it is completely broken - what they need to do is just scrap the whole thing and replace it with an automated service that tests apps load OK, checks for illegal API usage or calls to banned methods, impose a limit on apps submitted per developer account, and devote all the time their team of app reviewers have to investigating any customer complaints on rogue apps. That way they are more responsive to customer complaints, and don't get in the way of developers.

Any pretence at quality control is quite obviously a failure given the standard of some of the apps on the store, and the inconsistency of their reviewers is legend, so their stated reasons for having an approval process simply don't make sense. This web page adds absolutely nothing that developers didn't know already, and will be no help.

The app reviewers just can't keep up, and no matter how many people they throw at the problem, it's only going to get worse and worse. The process is broken, and that's what they need to address.

[martin.treiber]

Apple already started this PR thing a couple of days ago, when they put a note there saying that the majority (94%) of apps are approved within 14 days. Well, in my case, I'm in a very exclusive 6% club, since my app (iSENDu) was originally submitted on August 3rd and resubmitted on August 25th...

At first sight, a new web page seems like a typical PR move - saying: "Look, we are doing all we can to improve this. We are aware of your criticism and you can see that we already changed our web site to provide to provide all information you need". However, until there is no substantial change in the approval process (actual information about the reason for rejection, non-auto generated email responses), this is really nothing important. It's just like painting the same old rusty car with a new color.

[fat phil]

Apple already started this PR thing a couple of days ago, when they put a note there saying that the majority (94%) of apps are approved within 14 days. Well, in my case, I'm in a very exclusive 6% club, since my app (iSENDu) was originally submitted on August 3rd and resubmitted on August 25th...

At first sight, a new web page seems like a typical PR move - saying: "Look, we are doing all we can to improve this. We are aware of your criticism and you can see that we already changed our web site to provide to provide all information you need". However, until there is no substantial change in the approval process (actual information about the reason for rejection, non-auto generated email responses), this is really nothing important. It's just like painting the same old rusty car with a new color.

If that's so (94%) then it's awfully easy to fall into that 6%.

We've had two delays in the past, one for "legal" reasons because an app was based on a licensed IP, when one of the "Big" publishers also had an app released on the same license (the small guy gets held up while the big guy floats on in). Took us a week to prove we were a licensee. We were thinking it was a conspiracy - I mean, just look at all the ripoff IP apps; they go through, why not us with our legit app, eh?

The second delay was for a lite version of the same app, which was absolutely identical except for reduced functionality. The reason? The reviewers of the Lite version didn't like something that the reviewers of the Paid version were quite happy with (in fact they'd not complained about it for three updates). That Lite version took 4 weeks after the initial rejection email to eventually appear, after cryptic non-commital answers from the review department.

"Email us if you have any questions" doesn't mean they'll answer them.

Still, it's good to see information brought together into a single resource, even if it is no more than that - it's hard enough explaining to clients and new employees how the processes come together. But yeah, would be nice to have recourse when things go wrong: Why It Happens, And What To Do About It. Because it's not always as black and white as sticking to the obvious HI guidelines...

[rchristai]

I login but got an error said I don't have access. So.... I think it only work for people in the iphone developer program (who actually pay) and not open for public access.

[fat phil]

I login but got an error said I don't have access. So.... I think it only work for people in the iphone developer program (who actually pay) and not open for public access.

I don't think it's working atm as the developer portal is down for maintenance/update. But it would make sense that it's only paid access anyway.

[Bevz]

Had my email last night, nothing really new but it's a lot clearer now and there really is a ton of info on the website... Another step in the right direction which has to be a good thing...

[sarahbau]

I login but got an error said I don't have access. So.... I think it only work for people in the iphone developer program (who actually pay) and not open for public access.

I am a paid developer, and I also got the no access error. Hopefully that's due to the site being down right now. Then again, Apple sent me no email about this new feature while others did get one. :confused:

[dunpool]

Anyone with experience of the approvals process knows it is completely broken - what they need to do is just scrap the whole thing and replace it with an automated service that tests apps load OK, checks for illegal API usage or calls to banned methods, impose a limit on apps submitted per developer account, and devote all the time their team of app reviewers have to investigating any customer complaints on rogue apps. That way they are more responsive to customer complaints, and don't get in the way of developers.

Any pretence at quality control is quite obviously a failure given the standard of some of the apps on the store, and the inconsistency of their reviewers is legend, so their stated reasons for having an approval process simply don't make sense. This web page adds absolutely nothing that developers didn't know already, and will be no help.

The app reviewers just can't keep up, and no matter how many people they throw at the problem, it's only going to get worse and worse. The process is broken, and that's what they need to address.

100% ack
Also throw in some automatic check for banned keywords instead of rejecting after months of waiting.

[DerFlash]

Awwww, just another PR campaign while we developers still lay under the bus!

Just take a look at my current 3 months review hell:
http://roomsapp.mobi/updatediary/

:mad:

[DrummerB]

Most of this was already on the Program Portal. So, nothing new, just a redesign of the content and a new URL :(

[Chimpy]

Awwww, just another PR campaign while we developers still lay under the bus!

Just take a look at my current 3 months review hell:
http://roomsapp.mobi/updatediary/

:mad:

Ouch, that's brutal :(.

[Detlev]

Most of this was already on the Program Portal. So, nothing new, just a redesign of the content and a new URL :(

Perhaps it is geared to the vocal majority that refuse to read, never mind follow, instructions in the first place. New packaging to improve public opinion? It may work.

[Kwill]

Kuwel, a good resource for Google (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/18/google-claims-that-apple-did-reject-google-voice-iphone-application/).

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/18/google-claims-that-apple-did-reject-google-voice-iphone-application/

[Balooba]

I think the new website will be very useful actually, especially for new developers. I think many of us have forgotten how tricky it actually was to figure out the steps and hoops required to get our first apps ready for submission to the App Store. We had to figure out how to make them ready for distribution in Xcode, set, SKU, Code Signing Entitlements, Code Signing Identities, how to make and distribute beta versions and how to prepare it for final submission. In retrospect, it may feel like it was like learning how to ride a bicycle but it was far from painless and the documentation was messy, unorganized and often missing. For experienced app developers, the website may not offer anything new but this consolidated site will probably be extremely useful for the newcomers.

My apps were all approved within the 14 days (actually it took exactly 14 days almost every time) so I guess I have so far been among the lucky 96%.

[TAPelicious.com]

Thats a good beginning! :) But the info in the resource center is currently the FAQ from the Dev Center only nicer formatted!

[DrummerB]

Perhaps it is geared to the vocal majority that refuse to read, never mind follow, instructions in the first place. New packaging to improve public opinion? It may work.

I think those people who refuse to read some basic step-by-step instructions should not be able to upload an app to the store in first place. Those are the people who don't care reading Apple's (quite well done) API documentations and guide lines and just spam the AppStore with crappy apps patched together from Apple's sample apps.

[DipDog3]

Just lip service by Apple.

Nothing is really changing with the "approval" process.

Of course if Apple is looking to hire any new "app approval specialists", I have a degree in chaos theory and can make consistent random arbitrary decisions when given the same inputs. :D

[commander.data]

Somehow I don't think the problem is lack of general App Store approval process information on how it works. What's needed is better direct feedback from reviewers to developers as each app moves through the approval process.

[firewood]

Anyone with experience of the approvals process knows it is completely broken - what they need to do is just scrap the whole thing and replace it with an automated service that tests apps load OK, checks for illegal API usage or calls to banned methods, impose a limit on apps submitted per developer account, and devote all the time their team of app reviewers have to investigating any customer complaints on rogue apps.

Not a chance. An automated system would be much easier to game by rogue developers. They've already missed a few apps that had to be removed from the store later. And with over 70,000 apps in the store, the lengthy approval process isn't holding back the flood at all.

[eastercat]

I'm hoping these new changes are legitimate. Although Apple has lots of developers clamoring to develop for the store, they need to keep the momentum going. Making the submission process easier to navigate will help.
Sincerely hoping this isn't lip service on Apple's part.

[raremage]

Awwww, just another PR campaign while we developers still lay under the bus!

Just take a look at my current 3 months review hell:
http://roomsapp.mobi/updatediary/

:mad:

Thank goodness they came out with the new Resource Center!

/sarcasm

[Cupertino95014]

Somehow I don't think the problem is lack of general App Store approval process information on how it works. What's needed is better direct feedback from reviewers to developers as each app moves through the approval process.

The problem is the submissions outnumber the staff in the hundreds if not thousands. Apple simply can't hire 100's of developers/QA people to look at the applications. Folks over there are working 6 days a week approving apps and there's just not enough resources to provide 1 to 1 feedback. I don't foresee the problem clearing up unless developers simply stop submitting to the store.

You have 1-2 developers leave on a terrible app approval process, there are 10 other developers taking their spots. It sucks, but it's the truth.

[commander.data]

The problem is the submissions outnumber the staff in the hundreds if not thousands. Apple simply can't hire 100's of developers/QA people to look at the applications. Folks over there are working 6 days a week approving apps and there's just not enough resources to provide 1 to 1 feedback. I don't foresee the problem clearing up unless developers simply stop submitting to the store.

You have 1-2 developers leave on a terrible app approval process, there are 10 other developers taking their spots. It sucks, but it's the truth.
I'm not taking about individual sit down meetings, just more clarity in communication when an app is rejected. I don't remember the specific app, but it's been reported before that there's been apps that were rejected for example with the generic explanation of age concerns. The developer uses a higher rating, resubmits, and is rejected again. Finally the app is accepted after another submission with a 17+ age rating. If Apple just said in the beginning that they rejected the app for age concerns and suggested an appropriate age rating that would have saved both developer time and Apple's own review time from having to deal with an extra submission. It seems to me that if Apple is so concerned about app overload, then taking an extra minute to clarify their rejection reasons saves them significant time in dealing with multiple resubmissions.

[Darkroom]

i totally haven't yet received this email...

[EDIT] after reviewing the "new" resource center, i have to state that there really isn't any new information here. lame.

[Master Chief]

...

You have 1-2 developers leave on a terrible app approval process, there are 10 other developers taking their spots. It sucks, but it's the truth.
That may be so, but when these leaving developers take great/original ideas with them... and you end up with copy cats... that sucks even more.

BTW: Where is this 1-2 number coming from?

[Cupertino95014]

I'm not taking about individual sit down meetings, just more clarity in communication when an app is rejected. I don't remember the specific app, but it's been reported before that there's been apps that were rejected for example with the generic explanation of age concerns. The developer uses a higher rating, resubmits, and is rejected again. Finally the app is accepted after another submission with a 17+ age rating. If Apple just said in the beginning that they rejected the app for age concerns and suggested an appropriate age rating that would have saved both developer time and Apple's own review time from having to deal with an extra submission. It seems to me that if Apple is so concerned about app overload, then taking an extra minute to clarify their rejection reasons saves them significant time in dealing with multiple resubmissions.

Majority of the apps are rejected for

- crashers or major bugs
- sexual content
- duplicated functionality
- copyrighted material
- spam

Of the 10-15% rejected apps, nearly all of them would have made it if they would have read the terms of service in its entirety.

It takes about ~20 minutes to review and approve an app. For rejected apps, it could take anywhere from hours to days to investigate. If a reviewer does 20 apps a day, imagine getting a reject, your processing time drops to approving 5 apps a day while investigating the reject.

The app approval process is far from perfect but with 85-90% approval rate, it's hard to convince management the process isn't working right.

[firewood]

I have always suspected that the 100 or so steps, which have to be carefully and completely followed to successfully provision, test, and submit apps, and which were spread among several different documents and web pages all of which had to be found and read, plus the slightly Byzantine filter of the SDK license and App store rules, where Apple's current interpretation also had to be hunted down in various blogs and forums, was part of Apple's IQ test to reduce the percentage of apps in the App store developed by Bozo(tm) developers.

The smart developers seem to have already figured out how to adapt and maneuver most of their apps through the gauntlet.

As an app customer, I'm not sure of the benefit of making the the process any easier for developers who can't read.

[MacBOS]

It looks like apple is learning by stumbling in to lots of problems and then fixing them, but then within that fix comes another array of problems. and all for the sake of protecting the core system. Protecting is good but I guess they are going to contract psychics to be able to think ahead.

[kockgunner]

If this doesn't change the way Apple approves their apps, a least the devs will get feedback. This is a step in the right direction. The old way of contacting Apple was more for consumers, not developers which should be higher on the list since they are who make the iPhone a success.

[kernkraft]

Sorry to interrupt the discussion, but does anybody know, what is happening? Both the US and UK stores are being updated.

iPod Touch with gps and video camera; keyboards with trackpad, perhaps? - I know, it's not gonna happen. It's probably something from the iPod event or some minor computer update. Just dreaming...:rolleyes:

[kernkraft]

Sorry, I forgot this...

[Xibalba]

Umm................ok? The problem developers are having with IS THE ACTUAL APPROVAL PROCESS. This doesn't address it at ALL.

For crying out loud.... :mad:

this is purely a public relations misdirection away from the major problem plaguing the app store - the approval process.

the app store is saturated with crap thus finding the true gems of programs is near impossible all the while the truly great apps are being rejected.

[Mr. Gates]

nothing cool EVER happens on a Sunday.

Never a new post.

Never an announcement.

Not the best day for a " MAC-RUMOR "

[krye]

What we really need is a better iTunes Connect. Something that is actually useful. These daily sales text files are a joke. I want to log in and see a big dollar sign next to exactly how much I've made. It sucks that we have to resort to 3rd party solutions just to find out how much we've made in the past 24 hours.

[hoosierfan24]

I personally didnt see anything that new and improved in the update but I am glad they did it because it show apple is trying to do something to help out customers