Embedding a Smart URL inside an App - iphone

Question

I want to embed a URL inside an iPhone app, that will take the user to a landing page which later on I can redirect that URL to an iTunes App link once it becomes available, all that without resubmitting the App for approval again. Is this possible?
Thanks

Answer 1

Yes. Use the openURL: method of UIApplication to open your landing page URL. When you want to swap it out, have your favourite server-side language perform a 301 or 302 redirect, depending on whether the redirect is permanent or not.
Having said that, if all you want to do is direct people to rate the app or something similar to that, you don't need to swap it out; the application ID is all you need to construct the URL and iTunes Connect gives you that when you register the app, before you upload the binary.

Answer 2

You can use a short URL or any other URL with a redirection, then in your code intercept the redirection to avoid opening Safari if it's not necessary:
Create a NSURLConnection:
NSURL *shortURL = [NSURL URLWithString:#"http://tinyurl.com/xxyy"];
NSURLConnection *conn = [[NSURLConnection alloc]
initWithRequest:[NSURLRequest requestWithURL:shortURL]
delegate:self
startImmediately:YES];
Define some delegate methods. In your class, define an NSURL property finalDestination to hold the final URL.
- (NSURLRequest *)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection
willSendRequest:(NSURLRequest *)request
redirectResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
{
finalDestination = [response URL];
return request;
}
- (void)connectionDidFinishLoading:(NSURLConnection *)connection
{
if (!finalDestination) {
/* redirect failed, use backup url */
finalDestination = /* backup url */
}
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:finalDestination];
}
Also, check Apple Technical Q&A Launching the App Store from an iPhone application.
(Note: ARC code)