Vanity URLs for AppStore.com Debut in Super Bowl Commercial

MacRumors · Feb 3, 2013, 10:52 PM

Apple introduced App Store Short Links a few days ago, giving developers a way to promote their apps with easy to remember App Store URLs.

Quote:

Provide a simple way for users to find your apps with easy-to-remember App Store Short Links. Using an AppStore.com URL that includes your app or company name, you can create links to a single app or all of your apps. These links are accessible worldwide and will automatically direct users to their country's respective App Store or Mac App Store.

As noted by CNET, the feature made its public debut during a Super Bowl commercial for the upcoming movie Star Trek: Into Darkness.

At the end of the commercial, there is a promotion for the film's companion app, directing viewers to AppStore.com/StarTrekApp. This link takes users to the app page in the App Store, functioning in the same way as the traditional itunes.apple.com link.

According to Apple's Developer notes, the vanity URLs will be assigned to apps when they are submitted to the iTunes App Store or the Mac App Store.

As Apple points out, the shortened links are ideal for developers who want to share an app in a print ad, a TV or radio spot, an app trailer, or on a billboard.

The simple domain names can be directed towards individual apps or all of the apps a company produces. In demand names that result in naming conflicts will result in a search page, so Apple is encouraging developers to create unique names for apps to prevent future problems.

Article Link: Vanity URLs for AppStore.com Debut in Super Bowl Commercial

ZackVLion · Feb 3, 2013, 10:53 PM

The link in the article doesnt work..It should be appstore.com/StarTrekApp with no www in front of it.

rman726 · Feb 3, 2013, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZackVLion

The link in the article doesnt work..It should be appstore.com/StarTrekApp with no www in front of it.

It worked for me. I don't see any www. Maybe the editor who posted it realized his mistake in the 5 minutes since posting it?

mrsir2009 · Feb 3, 2013, 11:06 PM

Cool feature

I think Apple did this to replace the weird online iTunes store thingy that people normally get directed to when people link to an app online.

ArtOfWarfare · Feb 3, 2013, 11:12 PM

So can existing apps have these nifty new links?

Nermal · Feb 3, 2013, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZackVLion

The link in the article doesnt work..It should be appstore.com/StarTrekApp with no www in front of it.

I love how the title tag says "bye bye" if you go to www.appstore.com

mrsir2009 · Feb 3, 2013, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nermal

I love how the title tag says "bye bye" if you go to www.appstore.com

It's an inside job!

kjs862 · Feb 3, 2013, 11:45 PM

Pretty cool!

spacepower7 · Feb 4, 2013, 12:07 AM

I guess this is why Apple wanted to trademark "App Store" and prevent Amazon from using it. Maybe if they used this AppStore.com site before the case start, they may have that part of the lawsuit.

bjsterilite · Feb 4, 2013, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacepower7

I guess this is why Apple wanted to trademark "App Store" and prevent Amazon from using it. Maybe if they used this AppStore.com site before the case start, they may have that part of the lawsuit.

You know, I was thinking the same. Could this be used as a point to fight the trademark suit?

mrsir2009 · Feb 4, 2013, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjsterilite

You know, I was thinking the same. Could this be used as a point to fight the trademark suit?

Maybe not now, as they could've simply done it for the reason of winning the trademark suit. Shoulda done it earlier...

spacepower7 · Feb 4, 2013, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjsterilite

You know, I was thinking the same. Could this be used as a point to fight the trademark suit?

It might possibly be used in an appeal, if it's even allowed to be used. But then again it might have been use in the trial but under seal, bc that hadn't started using it yet.

As for that lawsuit, it was interesting for Amazon to change from "Marketplace" to "App Store"

Also interesting when MS joined Amazon to fight the trademark for "AppStore" or "App Store" whichever the phrase was, there was much speculation about an Apple response to MS.

The media speculation was that Apple could invalidate the MS Windows trademark bc it was generic and Apple had used the term in Mac documentation before MS began work on Windows.

Any which way, seems like Apple could have easily done this new website thing years ago, and they'd have better legal footing.

FoxMcCloud · Feb 4, 2013, 02:48 AM

lets just hope this leads to being able to browse the app store and install apps straight to the phone from the browser, as well as see what iTunes content you own and what apps are currently on your devices.

You know, like Google have been doing for awhile now.

Nightarchaon · Feb 4, 2013, 03:13 AM

just annoying to me, click on link, wait 20seconds, get told you cant access the site out side the USA,

and again apple, this is why the USA is the only market your number one in and all the others your losing out to Android.

Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD.

wonderspark · Feb 4, 2013, 03:17 AM

I hope I can follow that link to get the app for my Android phone.

Habakuk · Feb 4, 2013, 04:57 AM

There are some apps with really long names like…

TOP Files | PDF reader. Documents & Files storage with Dropbox, Google Drive & SkyDive support. View, download and upload images, videos, pdfs, office docs: docx, powerpoint, spreadsheet. Usb disk and cloud file management.

Obviously developers can insert a novel as a name. The "normal" URL is

https://itunes.apple.com/app/top-fil...589014207?mt=8

(BTW free for a limited time.) What's the "new" URL?

TylerL · Feb 4, 2013, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nermal

I love how the title tag says "bye bye" if you go to www.appstore.com

Even better, the body of that page says:

Code:

<body>
Bye Bye  You shouldn't be here.
</body>

KieranDotW · Feb 4, 2013, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

just annoying to me, click on link, wait 20seconds, get told you cant access the site out side the USA,

and again apple, this is why the USA is the only market your number one in and all the others your losing out to Android.

Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD.

Works in Canada...

thewitt · Feb 4, 2013, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

just annoying to me, click on link, wait 20seconds, get told you cant access the site out side the USA,

and again apple, this is why the USA is the only market your number one in and all the others your losing out to Android.

Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD.

No problem from Malaysia

The Phazer · Feb 4, 2013, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KieranDotW

Works in Canada...

Doesn't work in the UK.

Studio's fault of course, but bad business development work with Apple to partner with US only spots to show off the new feature. Which is not surprising after the failures to work well with others that were Passbook and Lightning.

applesith · 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZackVLion

The link in the article doesnt work..It should be appstore.com/StarTrekApp with no www in front of it.

WWW should not make a difference. That's embarrassing for any website this day in age to have the www problem.

KdParker · Feb 4, 2013, 08:31 AM

nice. Will make it easy to promote your apps.

SockRolid · Feb 4, 2013, 11:59 AM

Apple: We couldn't trademark "App Store," but we got the DOMAIN!

Amazon: Dang. Is AppStoreWannabe.com available?

mrsir2009 · Feb 4, 2013, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

just annoying to me, click on link, wait 20seconds, get told you cant access the site out side the USA,

and again apple, this is why the USA is the only market your number one in and all the others your losing out to Android.

Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD.

Works for me in New Zealand... What country are you in?

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by applesith

WWW should not make a difference. That's embarrassing for any website this day in age to have the www problem.

+1. www is totally pointless and should be irrelevant.

Nermal · Feb 4, 2013, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerL

Even better, the body of that page says:

Code:

<body>
Bye Bye  You shouldn't be here.
</body>

Heh, didn't notice that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsir2009

Works for me in New Zealand... What country are you in?

That's interesting; it doesn't work for me unless I use my US iTunes account.

Feb 3, 2013, 11:06 PM	#4
mrsir2009 macrumors 604 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Wellington, New Zealand	Cool feature I think Apple did this to replace the weird online iTunes store thingy that people normally get directed to when people link to an app online. __________________ How to Prevent your Mac from Overheating
	2

Feb 3, 2013, 11:12 PM	#5
ArtOfWarfare macrumors 68040 Join Date: Nov 2007	So can existing apps have these nifty new links? __________________ Battery Status - On the Mac App Store The only app that'll estimate when your wireless devices will need their batteries changed. Like it on Facebook!
	0

Feb 4, 2013, 02:48 AM	#13
FoxMcCloud macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2009	lets just hope this leads to being able to browse the app store and install apps straight to the phone from the browser, as well as see what iTunes content you own and what apps are currently on your devices. You know, like Google have been doing for awhile now. __________________ 21.5" iMac 2009, 3.06 Ghz Core2Duo, 12GB RAM. Mac Mini 2009, 2.0 Ghz Core2Duo, 4GB RAM. iPhone 4, iPad 3, AppleTV 2 x2, Airport Express x2, TimeCapsule 2TB 2011.
	1

Feb 4, 2013, 03:13 AM	#14
Nightarchaon macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2010	just annoying to me, click on link, wait 20seconds, get told you cant access the site out side the USA, and again apple, this is why the USA is the only market your number one in and all the others your losing out to Android. Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD. __________________ MacBook Pro/iPad Mini/TV1/iMac/iPhone5
	3

Feb 4, 2013, 03:17 AM	#15
wonderspark macrumors 68020 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Denver, CO	I hope I can follow that link to get the app for my Android phone. __________________ Wait a second... So you're telling me anything that happens in the sky is legal, and there's a giant crime-blimp flying around this place? I don't know how I missed that.
	2

Feb 3, 2013, 10:53 PM	#2
ZackVLion macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2002	The link in the article doesnt work..It should be appstore.com/StarTrekApp with no www in front of it.
	0

Feb 3, 2013, 11:45 PM	#8
kjs862 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2004	Pretty cool!
	0

Feb 4, 2013, 12:07 AM	#9
spacepower7 macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2004	I guess this is why Apple wanted to trademark "App Store" and prevent Amazon from using it. Maybe if they used this AppStore.com site before the case start, they may have that part of the lawsuit.
	2

Feb 4, 2013, 04:57 AM	#16
Habakuk macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Vienna Austria Europe	App Names There are some apps with really long names like… TOP Files \| PDF reader. Documents & Files storage with Dropbox, Google Drive & SkyDive support. View, download and upload images, videos, pdfs, office docs: docx, powerpoint, spreadsheet. Usb disk and cloud file management. Obviously developers can insert a novel as a name. The "normal" URL is https://itunes.apple.com/app/top-fil...589014207?mt=8 (BTW free for a limited time.) What's the "new" URL? __________________ Hurry up! Selected & time-limited iOS App Store FREEbies and sales (German-language blog; but you'll find all links, pics and videos)
	0

Feb 4, 2013, 08:31 AM	#22
KdParker macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2010	nice. Will make it easy to promote your apps. __________________ 16g iPhone5 Black ; 16g iPhone5 White; 15" retina - MBP 2.6 GHZ 16 RAM; iPad4 retina
	0

Feb 4, 2013, 11:59 AM	#23
SockRolid macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2010	Apple: We couldn't trademark "App Store," but we got the DOMAIN! Amazon: Dang. Is AppStoreWannabe.com available? __________________ Sent from my iPad Simulator
	4

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