I'm about to submit my first app to the App Store, but the name is already taken. I've searched the App Store, but I can't find any app by that name. I'm guessing Apple removed it after no update to Binary after 120 days.
How can I find details of this developer, so that I can ask him to delete the app? And even if he does, will that name then become available again?
Thanks.
If the 120 Day limit was reached on the store the name would be available for use. My guess is that someone has the name registered and is still within the 120 day limit.
If you hold a copyright or trademark for the name of your app, you can attempt to contact apple to see if they can do anything for you. There is no way to search for apps that arent published to the App Store.
Related
I have an iphone app. I want to upload this app 2 times in itune with different name.
is it possible?
You can, but you should also change Bundle ID and maybe you'll have to desribe the reason of it for Apple guys.
Quote from App Store Review Guidelines
2.11 Apps that duplicate Apps already in the App Store may be rejected,
particularly if there are many of them, such as fart, burp,
flashlight, and Kama Sutra Apps
Pay attention to the phrase "may be rejected". As someone experienced told me, this rule exists to prevent cluttering App Store with apps where, for example, only a color of the background changes. If you provide different content, than it's different user experience and as a result - different app.
You can upload an application more than 2 times in itunes. Your applications must have own unique Bundle Identifier to Upload or you already can't see your app in Application Loader.
But there is a point, if you will not describe why you upload the same application with different name in itunes (with different Bundle Identifier), Apple will going to reject your application with description "App Duplication"..
There's no way to be sure if it'll be rejected. But I highly doubt that it'll get caught with a different name. We have done it before, to transfer an app to a different account. (Before app transfer was introduced.)
Just remember to change the your bundle identifier - and the provisioning file of course. :-)
Apple in iTunes Connect Developer Guide says:
App Name Expiry
Once you have created your app, and it is in the state Prepare For Upload or Waiting For Upload, you will have 180 days (6 months) from your creation date in iTunes Connect, to deliver a binary to Apple. If you do not deliver a binary before the 180-day deadline, your app will be deleted from iTunes Connect. As a result of this deletion, your app name will be able to be used by another developer and you cannot reuse the app name, SKU or Bundle ID. See the Deleting an App section of this guide to learn more about the ramifications of App Delete.
What's the meaning of "deliver a binary"? The app should be uploaded and approved in 180 days or just uploaded for review?
Is it possible to upload a preliminary binary and set the release date in the future (Availability Date setting within Rights and Pricing), so that before that date I can upload the final binary of my app?
I worked around this by preparing a version of my app that was good enough to be approved by Apple, even though it wasn't where I wanted it to be yet for the first release. I submitted it just before the 180 day deadline but set a future release date on the Rights and Pricing tab in iTunes Connect. Apple approved the binary and I continued working on the app with no further warnings about the name expiration. I was even able to move the release date further into the future to give myself more time.
I don't know what would have happened if my submission had been rejected by Apple or if I had rejected it myself. That might have been okay, but I preferred to play it safe and submit something that met all the review guidelines.
Now I'm still not ready for a public release, but ready for beta testing. I submitted my latest version for review and Apple approved that, too. At this point, even though the app still isn't publicly available, I can generate promo codes and give them to beta testers and they can download the app from the App Store using the promo codes. In my case this is better than using up more of the 100 devices available in my developer account. The trade-off is that each beta version I want to share has to go through the Apple review process.
Anyway, setting your release date in the future does let you meet the 180-day upload deadline without releasing something before you're ready. When you're ready to release, you can submit your final version, make sure it gets approved, then move the release date to the desired date.
Well most of us (fellow developers!!) will be happy to know that the grace period of 120 days has now been increased to 180 days which is roughly 6 months.
The following quote has been taken from iTunes Connect Guide
App Name Expiry
After creating your app and it is in the state Prepare For Upload or Waiting For Upload, you have 180 days (6 months) from your creation date in iTunes Connect to deliver a binary to Apple. If you do not deliver a binary before the 180-day deadline, your app is deleted from iTunes Connect. As a result of this deletion, your app name can be used by another developer and you cannot reuse the app name, SKU or bundle ID. See “Deleting an App” (page 90) to learn more about the ramifications of App Delete.`
Well, MisterX claims that once you upload a real binary, you can then reject it and never hear from Apple again. My company has had issues that prevent me from uploading their app (which I did) and I need to buy some time. The app uses their registered TM name so if I lose it I'm in big trouble!!!
Lets home MisterX was telling the truth!
EDIT: well, in fact, I did do an upload of the app once (you have to get all your permissions in order, certificates, etc and the binary has to pass the internal tests on using only legit frameworks etc). I immediately cancelled the binary, and I was able to keep my app name past until we were able to post it over 180 days after getting the name). This was as of May 2012 so YMMV.
iTunes App Name reservations no longer expire.
http://blog.salsitasoft.com/apples-new-app-name-reservation-policy/
I lost one of my app before and I can't take its name again. But now I have too many apps that are waiting in iTunes Connect about 1 year.
Deliver a binary - this is the zipped and compiled version of your app. This needs to be submitted for approval to apple.
Yes it is, but if you mess apple about then I don't know if they'll like it too much.
Basically the rules and what you're experiencing are there in order to stop people doing what you're doing, which is basically name squatting. Make the app, submit to itunes connect, upload the binary, get into the apple store. Don't just sit on names without an app, its not fair on the real developers trying to get real apps out there.
As guide says:
If you do not deliver a binary before
the 120-day deadline, your app will be
deleted from iTunes Connect
You must upload your binary for the application (ipa file) in maximum 120 days since you added in iTunes.
This binary will be the subject for approval. You cannot send one binary as a test one, and later the final binary. It will be rejected.
1) It should be just uploaded for review. Normally review takes about 7-10 days.
2) Yes it is possible to control the release date of the app. You can select it when you login to itunes connect and create a new app. One of the fields there asks for release date.
Also if you app is approved(Test binary in your case) you can also upload a newer version for the approved app (which can be your final binary) However the approval lies wholly on the review team at Apple.
I don't know this precisely, but by my experience and context, I think it means just uploading.
If you want to upload another binary, you should reject binary yourself and re-upload new binary, that means you should wait once more for review.
From what I understand, you just have to have the app uploaded. And if you really read exactly what the iTunes Connect Guide says (look at the wording), that 180 timer is only counting the number of days that your app is in either the Preparing For Upload or Waiting For Upload state. Take a look:
After creating your app and it is in the state Prepare For Upload or Waiting For Upload, you have 180 days (6 months) from your creation date in iTunes Connect to deliver a binary to Apple....
So a solution would be to upload whatever binary you have right now, then wait for the status to change to Waiting For Review. Once that happens, developer-reject the binary. Leave it in the Developer Rejected state until you're ready to re-upload. The reason I say this is because putting it back into Prepare For Upload or Waiting For Upload might start the 180 day timer again (though I'm not sure).
Play it safe. When you upload your binary upload something that would pass review and have a decent standing on the AppStore (even if it means "hiding" some features).
Let's hope this works! I have three days left before the 180 day deadline and I'm about to upload. I'll post to confirm if it works.
I want to reserve an app name that I intend to build out over the next 90 days, how do I do this in apple's web developer portal?
Update 2015:
The limit of 180 days is now gone, Apple dropped the cap this year -
You can read the full licence here, gone.
Also, you may have noticed that the app name expiring topic is gone from the contact us question tree in iTunes Connect.
That being said, as you can see in the declaration:
You will not, directly or indirectly, commit ... (e.g., submitting
fraudulent reviews of Your own Application or any third party
application, choosing a name for Your Application that is
substantially similar to the name of a third party application in
order to create consumer confusion, or squatting on application names
to prevent legitimate third party use.
This lets us suppose that if you haven't updated your binary for a looong time and someone wants to use the same name, chances are that if they ask for it, they will get it, but yeah, technically speaking, you don't need to worry about this anymore.
Update 2014:
As stated in the iOS Developer Library, the limit is now 180 days:
Note: After you create your app and assign it a name, you have 180
days to deliver a binary or else your app will be deleted from iTunes
Connect so that the app name is free for use by the developer
community. Per section 3.2 of the iOS Developer Program License
Agreement, squatting on an app name to prevent legitimate third-party
use is prohibited. For information about email alerts you will receive
to remind you of this policy, see “App Name Expiry.”
90 days you say? This wouldn't be the first project that was supposed to take 90 days but needed more.
Once you fill in the information in itunes connect you have 120 days. After these 120 days your app name will become available for other developers. Yes, others, you can't take it again.
So you better make sure that you have your app ready for sale in 120 days.
You should read the itunes connect developer guide. It explains the process in detail. It's too complicated to answer this in a 5 minute stackoverflow answer. But the others outlined it, and I just wanted to mention = the 120 day limit. Happy squatting.
You don't do it in the Developer Portal, you do it in iTunes Connect.
Log in using your developer credentials
Click Manage Applications
Click Add New Application
Complete the basic information, including the app name
This resources implies that app names no longer expire.
TUTORIAL: RESERVE YOUR APP NAME FOREVER
Log in to https://itunesconnect.apple.com
Click Manage Your Apps
Click Add New Application
Complete the basic information, including the app name
Upload temporary icons and screenshots (for iPhone 4 & iPhone 5)
Change the app status to “Waiting for Upload”
Create a very simple app and use the new bundle ID
Submit the App to the App Store for Review (as you normally would)
After the status has changed to “Waiting for Review” go into iTunes Connect
Click Manage Your Apps > View Details > Binary Details
Click Reject this Binary
This will set the status of your application to “Developer Rejected”. Since you have successfully submitted a binary and had a “Waiting for Review” status it can sit in that status forever, therefore your app name is parked forever! Apple considers it a “real” app since it was officially submitted. So now sit on your great app name until you’re ready to finish development.
(Source 1, Source 2)
In iTunes Connect, go to Manage Your Apps and then Add New App. You can choose a name and enter other relevant information, but not upload binaries at this point. You'll also be able to set a release date in the future.
Go to iTunes Connect, then Manage Your Apps, then Add New App.
Create an App with placeholder data (you'll need screenshots, real or temporary).
If you don't upload an associated production [App Store] distribution App within 90 days, you'll lose the right to use that name forever.
Cyber-squatting on an App name you don't make use of is bad form.
If you decide you don't want to use the name, please delete it and free it up to someone who will.
You can add the application as suggested above. And about app name reservation here is my answer.
After creating your app and it is in the state Prepare For Upload or Waiting For Upload, you have 180 days (6 months) from your creation date in iTunes Connect to deliver a binary to Apple. If you do not deliver a binary before the 180-day deadline, your app is deleted from iTunes Connect. As a result of this deletion, your app name can be used by another developer and you cannot reuse the app name, SKU or bundle ID.
I got this information from apple documentation and the link is
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/8_AddingNewApps/AddingNewApps.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40011225-CH13-SW1
Search for "App Name Expiry" and it leads you to the required page.
I hope this helps all of us.
I had to delete my app in itunesconnect (incorrect Bundle ID Suffix) and now it says the name is already being used, how can I get it back?
The (?) beside the App Name says: "The name of your app as it will appear on the App Store."
So now I've got a game called X and all my art says X... but now I can't actually add a game to the store called X!?!
I guess maybe I'll have to call it "X - Insanely Insane!"
You could create a new app with the same app name if you change the default language. I just had the same issue as you and I changed default language from English to UK English and everything went smoothly.
Full details here: http://hesh.am/2012/01/recovering-a-deleted-app-name-in-itunes-connect/
Apple gets the best answer:
Hello Josh,
Thank you for contacting Apple Developer Support regarding iTunes Connect.
Please know that it is not possible to reuse a SKU or App Name in the same account again and you will not be able to restore your app once deleted.
12 months ago I developed an iPhone app which was rejected by the app store. I have recently come up with a solution to get round the reason why the app was rejected and was planning on resubmitting. I have just discovered that an app was released less than a month ago with the name I was going to use for my app. Is there any way that I can object to this? Not only did I submit <my iphone app name> but I also own the domains www.<my iphone app name>.com and www.<my iphone app name>.co.uk.
There are a couple of similar questions on here which suggest trademarking your app name to prevent this from happening and also effectively reserving an app name within the app store. I specifically want to know if there is a way of objecting to someone elses name.
EDIT: I am NOT looking for opinions as to whether I will be able to stop the name of my app being used by someone else. I want to know if there is a way of contacting apple about this
What branding do you have around your name? Since you haven't released, one could argue that you chose the name after seeing the success of the other application. If you don't have demonstrable pre-existing art then you don't have much to stand on.
To save time, money and heartache, I would simply change your name. If you already have a lot invested in the name (marketing, ads, reputation) then the cost of changing your name may outweigh the cost of fighting.
The other argument is it took you 12 months to resubmit. That will show a lack of interest on your part, and a lack of enthusiasm. Should apple be required to prevent apps with the same name of a previously reject app from being approved for ever on the off chance they re-submit?
For some insight into Apple's thinking on this:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/steve-jobs-to-developer-name-change-not-that-big-of-a-deal/
Short version: choose a different name for your app and move on.
If they were on the store before you and if you haven't trademarked the name, then it goes to them. Doesn't matter if you "came up with the name first" or you have the domain names for it, they got to the store first. Just change the app's name, that's all you can do, unless you own the trademarks (and have owned them before their app came out), then you can go after them.
There doesn't appear to be any way of contacting apple about this.