Make a web link open App Store on iOS devices - ios

The question of how to link to a specific app or a list of a specific developers apps from a web link has been answered many times. My issue is that I cannot find a format that works to open the appstore front page, I do not want to link to a specific app I just want the link to open the app store on iOS devices. I have tried http://appstore.com and that works on iPad but on the iPhone I am getting a blank page. Is there a way to open the front page of the app store app from a web link on both iPad and iPhones?

Thy this:
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:#"https://itunes.apple.com/en/genre/ios/id36?mt=8"]];
It opens the featured page at iphone (main page).

Related

iOS 9+ Universal Links don't work from Google apps

The company I work for told me to ask the following:
When a universal link is tapped in other apps (native Apple apps, Slack, etc.) our app is opened, but if the same link is tapped in any Google app (Hangouts, Inbox, etc.) the universal link is not opened directly by our app.
We set the Google app to not open links inside it and we don't have Chrome installed on devices where the app was tested.
Does anyone have the same problem? Is there any solution for this?
Unfortunately this is the expected behavior. Universal Links do not work directly from within most Google apps — you need to have the link open a web page containing a button or other link within. That button or link can be a Universal Link, which then opens the app.
Here is more information about where Universal Links currently work and do not work.

How can I can make a link open in safari from my mobile app?

In this app I have it so you can donate using paypal but donating directly from the app is against the App Store Review Guidelines. I'm using an app builder because to make this app so I can't directly edit the source code.
While donations may not be taken within an application, you may provide a link to your website that launches Safari for users to make a donation.
What would I need to add on my website that would launch a link in safari on mobile?
you can do it with this code
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:#"http://www.paypal.com"]];

Automatically open an app within iOS

I'm currently developing an app for iOS and I've got a list of PDF files in the app which I want to be able to open (and show).
Now I do know you can do that with the UIDocumentInteractionController, which then shows what apps are able to open the specific file, but I'm looking for a solution where I can open an app (e.g. Adobe Reader) without first having to open the UIDocumentInteractionController, tapping the app I want and then opening it.
Is this possible? And if so: how?
Thanks in advance!
DckWlff
You can have a look at URL Schemes. But the app you want to open needs to support it.
http://iosdevelopertips.com/cocoa/launching-your-own-application-via-a-custom-url-scheme.html
You can open an app in your App like this:
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:#"myapp://"]];
Edit:
You can find some schemes here: http://schemes.zwapp.com

Link to App Store app developer page with iOS 6?

Is there a way, in iOS 6, to link from an app to a specific developer's page on the App Store app? By that I mean a list showing all the apps by the developer.
There are various ways to link to the store (I am using the Appmosys as the example here) that produce various results:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/appmosys/id331687329 - The link copied from desktop iTunes, opens up the iTunes app on an iOS 6 device, with the developer's page. If you tap on one of their apps, it goes to that app on the App Store app.
http://itunes.com/apps/appmosys - Opens the iTunes app (via Safari) but presents this error message: "Cannot connect to iTunes store".
itms://itunes.com/apps/appmosys - Goes straight to the iTunes app, but same error as above.
itms-apps://itunes.com/apps/appmosys - Opens the App Store app, but also presents the same error (screenshot here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/6920023/iphone-screenshot.PNG ).
Is there actually a way to do this in iOS 6?
Bonus points if you can answer the question and know if the link you provide also works with the affiliate program, http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/. I've already looked at the Link Maker on this page, http://www.apple.com/itunes/link/, but can only produce the standard iTunes link.
Part B / even more bonus points
You can link straight to the Reviews tab in the App Store app for an app, but can you also now link straight to the new Related tab?
i have a solution for iOS 5:
itms-apps://itunes.com/apps/appmosys/id331687329
and one for iOS 6:
itms-apps://itunes.apple.com/artist/appmosys/id331687329
if you use itms-apps:// URLs instead of http:// it will open the app store app on the device, which is less confusing to the user, then going through safari.
Unfortunately i didn't found any single URL that works on iOS 5 and iOS 6. So the Apple Q&A Documentation is not valid anymore for iOS 6 :-(
UPDATE: i just realized that my iOS 5 solution works also on iOS 6 on the iPad, but not on the iPhone with iOS 6. it's getting weirder and weirder....
UPDATE 2:
apple just annonced the appstore.com urls so now you can link to Electronic Arts Developer Page with http://appstore.com/ElectronicArts
i just tested it and it works for iPad from iOS 5.1 to 6.0 and iPhone from 4.3 to 6.0
so now the Apple Q&A Documentation is valid!
I have a universal app and I needed to open up my developer page, and display the correct apps depending whether the user is using an iPhone, iPod or iPad. The only way I could get this to work correctly was by using the iTunes link maker http://itunes.apple.com/linkmaker/ results but replaced https: with itms-apps:
The link like http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=426623392
will be work on any iOS devices and any browsers in Internet also.
The customer will be NOT confused because it is standard link of Apple and developers using it.
Change just your id. So, it will be http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=XXXXXXXX where XXXXXXXX is your developer id.
This link you can find also in iTunes App on your desktop by copy the link from button "More Apps by YYYYYYY" on page of any of yours App. There YYYYYYY is your developer name. Like on this page https://itunes.apple.com/be/app/visual-html-editor-eye-lite/id472624198?mt=8
If you prefer to have a CUSTOMIZED "MORE APPS BY US" page inside your app (not exit to AppStore or Safari), then have a look at what I created here (there is downloadable working project):
http://xcodenoobies.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-to-create-dynamic-more-apps-page.html
The beauty of this is the data is retrieved from iTunes AppStore everytime you open the page in your app, and that you can customize it however you like.
Cheers.
http://itunes.apple.com/artist/id331687329.
I get to this link by using iTunes on Mac. Search for the company name, click on any app that is made by the company, look for "More iPhone Apps by XXXXX", click on it, then you'll see all apps by this company, right click on the company name and copy link, and you'll get this link. This link will work with iOS 6.
I have no problems mit links created with http://itunes.apple.com/linkmaker/
It generates only https links.

How to force an iTunes URL to open in Safari on the iPhone?

I have the following URL which links to the product page of a Mac app. I'd like to provide this URL inside my iPhone app. However, it always launches the App Store and subsequently can't display the product because it's not an iOS app. How would I tell it to open in Safari? Is this even possible?
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appname/idxxxxxxxxx
Haven't found an answer, so opted for directing to Appshoper URL instead.

Resources