iOS I'm under 18... What can I do?

[Yumunum]

I'm 16 & 1/2, and I'm about to start learning how to create iOS and OS X applications. (I know nothing yet, but I start next month) So I have a year and a half till I'm 18, and to my knowledge I'm not allowed to join Apple's developer program until I'm 18+

So this leads me to the question... What can I do now? Are there (legal) workarounds to allow me to sell my apps through Apple's stores, or will I have to look elsewhere? And if I have to look elsewhere, what would you recommend? I'm looking to earn money with the apps I make, as soon as possible, and in the most successful way possible.

Thank you in advance

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

You can sell under your parents name or something like that.

Also, I think you may be underestimating how long it takes to go from starting to learn to making money. I started learning iPhone programming at 16 but didn't start making money from it until 18.

 

[Yumunum]

You can sell under your parents name or something like that.

Also, I think you may be underestimating how long it takes to go from starting to learn to making money. I started learning iPhone programming at 16 but didn't start making money from it until 18.

But once I turned 18 and made my own account, wouldn't my old apps be stuck to my Dad's? I've read somewhere that you can't transfer them (and I have no way of seeing if that's true or not, so maybe someone here knows?)

I was expecting maybe 6 months-a year till I could make something semi-decent. Guess I did underestimate if it took you 2 years!

 

[Soulstorm]

But once I turned 18 and made my own account, wouldn't my old apps be stuck to my Dad's? I've read somewhere that you can't transfer them (and I have no way of seeing if that's true or not, so maybe someone here knows?)

I was expecting maybe 6 months-a year till I could make something semi-decent. Guess I did underestimate if it took you 2 years!

I did the same as you, but not for age reasons. I used my name, and gave my mother's bank account. So the money went there. When I had my own bank account, I changed the details, took 1 day for Apple's system to be updated to the new tax details, and now the money go into my bank account.

Bottom line: Give your name, use your dad's bank account, and once you go 18, change your details.

Although it is not perfectly legal, it is valid, and hey, think about how sad the world will be if you don't contribute your excellent applications to the app store!

 

[Yumunum]

I did the same as you, but not for age reasons. I used my name, and gave my mother's bank account. So the money went there. When I had my own bank account, I changed the details, took 1 day for Apple's system to be updated to the new tax details, and now the money go into my bank account.

Bottom line: Give your name, use your dad's bank account, and once you go 18, change your details.

Although it is not perfectly legal, it is valid, and hey, think about how sad the world will be if you don't contribute your excellent applications to the app store!

Haha interesting idea. So nowhere on the form will MY age be asked? Basically, I'd want to know that once I was 18, every trace of my dad would be gone and my account would be 100% me. I don't know what I think about the illegal-ness though... And what would the possibilities of Apple finding out be? I don't want to make any bad decisions here...

 

[RonC]

I'm 16 & 1/2, and I'm about to start learning how to create iOS and OS X applications. (I know nothing yet, but I start next month) So I have a year and a half till I'm 18, and to my knowledge I'm not allowed to join Apple's developer program until I'm 18+

It's not so much that you aren't allowed, it's more along the lines that because you're a minor, if you sign a contract you might not be held to its terms. Apple (or anyone else), when entering into an agreement between parties, wants the terms of that agreement to be fully enforceable. Hence, they (Apple) would not want to enter into this agreement knowing that you've got an escape clause. Your parent/guardian, on the other hand, likely being of age, does not have such an escape clause.

All that said, you can do one of two things:

• just sign the damn thing and get on with it, act like an adult and follow the rules. In 18 months the whole thing will be moot, you will likely have to sign another agreement or two between now and then.
• have your parent/guardian sign the agreement and act as the Team Agent, and in 18 months transfer that Agent status to you. Make sure you're added as a Team Admin so you can do most of the day to day work, though you'll need your Team Agent to do some things (like create distribution certificates).

I think the banking thing is completely separate - they (Apple) need a place to transfer money when you sell stuff. They don't really care much about the details (the fields in my entry include Bank Country, ABA Routing Number, Bank Name, and Bank Account Number, Account Holder Name, and Bank Account Currency) other than you providing them. I wouldn't expect that they would actually bother to match names between account settings and banking settings, though I have no actual experience there.

If it becomes an issue, moving your app to another developer license takes 10 minutes at the most.

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I don't know what I think about the illegal-ness though... And what would the possibilities of Apple finding out be? I don't want to make any bad decisions here...

It's not illegal, in the criminal sense, unless you forge your Dad's name / signature or you are trying to defraud Apple. Doesn't sound like that...

If you sign as yourself and Apple decides that it no longer wants to participate, the agreement would be voided. They will not want to turn away eager young developers because of a minor spat about you being a minor when you first entered into the agreement.

(note: I just went to look at my bank account settings and I got yelled at to sign an updated agreement - like I said above, you get to do this often as the Team Admin...)

 

[Yumunum]

It's not so much that you aren't allowed, it's more along the lines that because you're a minor, if you sign a contract you might not be held to its terms. Apple (or anyone else), when entering into an agreement between parties, wants the terms of that agreement to be fully enforceable. Hence, they (Apple) would not want to enter into this agreement knowing that you've got an escape clause. Your parent/guardian, on the other hand, likely being of age, does not have such an escape clause.

All that said, you can do one of two things:

• just sign the damn thing and get on with it, act like an adult and follow the rules. In 18 months the whole thing will be moot, you will likely have to sign another agreement or two between now and then.
• have your parent/guardian sign the agreement and act as the Team Agent, and in 18 months transfer that Agent status to you. Make sure you're added as a Team Admin so you can do most of the day to day work, though you'll need your Team Agent to do some things (like create distribution certificates).

I think the banking thing is completely separate - they (Apple) need a place to transfer money when you sell stuff. They don't really care much about the details (the fields in my entry include Bank Country, ABA Routing Number, Bank Name, and Bank Account Number, Account Holder Name, and Bank Account Currency) other than you providing them. I wouldn't expect that they would actually bother to match names between account settings and banking settings, though I have no actual experience there.

If it becomes an issue, moving your app to another developer license takes 10 minutes at the most.

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It's not illegal, in the criminal sense, unless you forge your Dad's name / signature or you are trying to defraud Apple. Doesn't sound like that...

If you sign as yourself and Apple decides that it no longer wants to participate, the agreement would be voided. They will not want to turn away eager young developers because of a minor spat about you being a minor when you first entered into the agreement.

(note: I just went to look at my bank account settings and I got yelled at to sign an updated agreement - like I said above, you get to do this often as the Team Admin...)

Thanks for the advice!

What's an "agent"? If I signed up as one person, instead of a "business", would I still need agents and whatnot? I'm probably missing something here, and yes I do lack general knowledge... sorry about that.

 

[RonC]

Thanks for the advice!

What's an "agent"? If I signed up as one person, instead of a "business", would I still need agents and whatnot? I'm probably missing something here, and yes I do lack general knowledge... sorry about that.

Team Agent and Team Admin are the names used in the Apple documentation for different roles, and it may be related to a Business license as opposed to an Individual license. As an individual, you will be all of these roles - manager, legal contact, developer..., and I'm not sure any of them are called out as Agent vs. Admin.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Team Agent and Team Admin are the names used in the Apple documentation for different roles, and it may be related to a Business license as opposed to an Individual license. As an individual, you will be all of these roles - manager, legal contact, developer..., and I'm not sure any of them are called out as Agent vs. Admin.

I'm fairly certain I signed up as an individual and was asked in a few agreements to name my team agents and admins and such... I assigned myself to every position, though.