New 'App Pins' Allow Users to Install iOS Apps Right From Pinterest's App

[aleck]

How to best use Pinterest for app installs

Here is how to get the most from this new avenue for organic app installs. Very happy to see this happen.

http://radianttap.com/blog/2015/how-to-get-the-most-from-pinterests-organic-app-installs/

 

[Rogifan]

Hmm...I wonder how Marco Arment feels right now.

And then of course there was Launcher, which was removed from the App Store because Apple would not allow any widgets that allow you to launch other apps.

So, Apple, does Launcher come back? And can Overcast link to competing apps again? It was just re-directing you back to the App Store so why it was ever an issue to begin with is beyond me. It's ridiculous how Apple screws over smaller, indie developers and then does a deal like this.

 

[Abazigal]

Isn't this against App Store policy to install apps outside of the App Store?

Is it really the same as side loading apps?

It sounds like you are still downloading apps from the app store, meaning you can't create your own app, host it outside the app store, and get users to download it directly from Pinterest.

It just seems like Pinterest has somehow found a way to mask the whole "get launched into the app store to download the app" process and make it all just happen in the background seamlessly. But otherwise, iOS apps linked there are still subject to app store rules, and Apple still gets their 30% cut.

 

[Rogifan]

Is it really the same as side loading apps?

It sounds like you are still downloading apps from the app store, meaning you can't create your own app, host it outside the app store, and get users to download it directly from Pinterest.

It just seems like Pinterest has somehow found a way to mask the whole "get launched into the app store to download the app" process and make it all just happen in the background seamlessly. But otherwise, iOS apps linked there are still subject to app store rules, and Apple still gets their 30% cut.

But Apple didn't allow Marco Armemt to do this. In the settings menu of his podcast app he has a list of competing apps. When you tapped on one it took you out of his app to the App Store. Apple forced him to remove it. Does he get to bring that back or is that functionally reserved for big name developers that partner with or pay Apple a lot of money?

 

[lincolntran]

How much easier can it be then pressing on the App store icon on the iPhone. I think this is a silly arrangement that really scratches my head. I'm sure Pinterest threw Apple a boat load of money to do this, but I do question why apple would agree.

A lot easier. On AppStore, you have to tap on AppStore icon, go search for the app, scrolling and scrolling to find the one you're looking for. Whereas on Pinterest, the App icon is 1 click to install the app.

 

[Abazigal]

But Apple didn't allow Marco Armemt to do this. In the settings menu of his podcast app he has a list of competing apps. When you tapped on one it took you out of his app to the App Store. Apple forced him to remove it. Does he get to bring that back or is that functionally reserved for big name developers that partner with or pay Apple a lot of money?

I suspect it's the latter. Apple was partnering with Pinterest on this and Pinterest is probably paying Apple a lot of money to use their platform for this exclusive feature. So Apple didn't want other apps hijacking this feature and promoting apps of their own.

That said, I can't seem to get the feature to work. I click on the link on my iPhone, go into the pinterest app, and don't see the option to install the apps anywhere. Is it some US-only feature or something?

 

[Rogifan]

I suspect it's the latter. Apple was partnering with Pinterest on this and Pinterest is probably paying Apple a lot of money to use their platform for this exclusive feature. So Apple didn't want other apps hijacking this feature and promoting apps of their own.

That said, I can't seem to get the feature to work. I click on the link on my iPhone, go into the pinterest app, and don't see the option to install the apps anywhere. Is it some US-only feature or something?

Well thats really sad. Way to screw over small, indie developers Apple.

 

[Abazigal]

Okay, so the feature now works for me, and this is what it looks like.



Tap on the install link, and a window pops up to let you download the app. It appears to work identical to purchasing an app in the App Store. Clearly something which would not be possible without some custom API or explicit permission from Apple.

On one hand, it looks like it could make app discovery more seamless. Imagine someone like Federico Viticci of Macstories promoting his home screen on Pinterest and making all his apps available for download directly from the Pinterest app without having to leave it. It would certainly make the browsing process much less disruptive. It can certainly prove lucrative for the chosen apps.

Will we see a new form of app promotion where "celebrities" get paid to feature certain apps on their home screens and share them to Pinterest?

 

[samcraig]

App discovery on Apple's App Store isn't great - which is why, I believe they welcome a social network like Pinterest where pins (apps) can get proliferated based on user recommendations (and from people within ones social network). It makes sense. Pulling other apps doesn't make much sense. But this partnership does.

That being said - the demographics for Pinterest are pretty skewed towards females. So it's not going to hit "everyone"

"The number of men on Pinterest increased 3 percentage points to 8% penetration in 2013, compared to women whose presence on Pinterest rose 8 percentage points to 33% penetration."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/pinterest-as-a-brand-platform-2014-11#ixzz3RXMnvPKx

 

[Abazigal]

App discovery on Apple's App Store isn't great - which is why, I believe they welcome a social network like Pinterest where pins (apps) can get proliferated based on user recommendations (and from people within ones social network). It makes sense. Pulling other apps doesn't make much sense. But this partnership does.

That being said - the demographics for Pinterest are pretty skewed towards females. So it's not going to hit "everyone"

"The number of men on Pinterest increased 3 percentage points to 8% penetration in 2013, compared to women whose presence on Pinterest rose 8 percentage points to 33% penetration."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/pinterest-as-a-brand-platform-2014-11#ixzz3RXMnvPKx

That could be the whole point. Men may have fewer issues with app discovery because they are more inclined to read tech blogs which feature new apps and thus try them out. Women, less so, making Pinterest a perfect fit (in theory).

 

[samcraig]

That could be the whole point. Men may have fewer issues with app discovery because they are more inclined to read tech blogs which feature new apps and thus try them out. Women, less so, making Pinterest a perfect fit (in theory).

It's hard for me to comment on this reply because I find it, dare I say, sexist.

 

[Abazigal]

It's hard for me to comment on this reply because I find it, dare I say, sexist.

I mean no offence. I am simply expressing my point of view with regards to what I feel is a genuine problem with apps in general - that they have a hard time making their presence felt, and I would imagine that men are in general more likely to visit a website like Macstories or iDownloadblog compared to women.

So if you know that more women frequent Pinterest, then use it as a platform to promote apps that would appeal more to women. I don't see it as sexist - you are just using the best platform for the job.

 

[John.B]

Hmm...I wonder how Marco Arment feels right now.

Image

And then of course there was Launcher, which was removed from the App Store because Apple would not allow any widgets that allow you to launch other apps.

So, Apple, does Launcher come back? And can Overcast link to competing apps again? It was just re-directing you back to the App Store so why it was ever an issue to begin with is beyond me. It's ridiculous how Apple screws over smaller, indie developers and then does a deal like this.

Maybe Apple has a special rule for apps with a very large installed user base? Along the lines of: "Some animals are more equal than others."

 

[Jessica Lares]

I just think it's more like an alternative iAd and they're beta testing it with them first.

 

[2499723]

Hmm. Seems a bit of preferential treatment is going on here. No doubt other developers are still prohibited from linking to the App Store in this way. Weak.

 

[Daalseth]

I've tried Pintrest and just haven't been able to get into it. Not sure why, but Tumblr is more my speed. I still have the app and I check it out once in a while but so far it hasn't grabbed me.

 

[tkermit]

It's hard for me to comment on this reply because I find it, dare I say, sexist.

Do you think he's wrong though, about men being 'more inclined to read tech blogs' ? (Statistically speaking)

 

[Rogifan]

Is this an API only available to Apple and Pintrest?

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Hmm. Seems a bit of preferential treatment is going on here. No doubt other developers are still prohibited from linking to the App Store in this way. Weak.

Yep like Marco Arment and the developers of Launcher. I wonder if this API will be available to all developers?

 

[Gav2k]

Great safari redirects and now stupid app buttons to avoid

 

[2457282]

I wonder how this works. Does anyone know if this is just a slick connection to the App Store under the covers? Otherwise, how exactly does this work and how will the developer get paid or apple get its 30%. Just curious.

 

[Bubba Satori]

bring on "steve jobs would never have allowed this" comments

You just did.

 

[iSee]

Indeed. Usually because of the rule against replicating appstore functionality (or however they phased it). Usually all you have to do is even mention an app that isn't yours somewhere in your app and eventually it'll be an issue. See Overcast for example which had a couple links to other podcast apps in case you didn't like Overcast, that had to be removed...

It's not that bad... I did an app for a client which was, essentially, a curated list of other apps (with links to the App Store entry for each one). Apple was suspicious but ultimately allowed it.

The key was that the app lists were (a) hand-curated; and (b) had a little bit of original editorial content with each one.

(I *think* those were key... it's hard to really know why Apple does what it does.)

 

[I7guy]

WTF - going to Pinterest to install apps. So is apple going to allow this for all social sites at some point?

I really do question Apple's thinking here.

I agree. I don't use Pinterest and this isn't really a hook for me.

 

[RedOrchestra]

What next - Apple buys Pinterest?

 

[Salvor Hardin]

Is this an API only available to Apple and Pintrest?

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Yep like Marco Arment and the developers of Launcher. I wonder if this API will be available to all developers?

It's the same one they've been using with Game Center for years when you want to download games it recommends. The fact that they've never implemented it into Safari seems to suggest that they worry about it being abused somehow.