How to check update - ios

I have developed an app running on iPhone. The app has a function called "check update" to check if there is a newer version(only check version and prompt the user, doesn't really download and update). The app has not submitted to App Store. how can I implement this functionality? The results I searched from elsewhere are using format like this:
https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=284910350
Where can I get the "id" field? If the "id" is generated after submitted to the app store, then how to check newest version?

You actually don't need to submit to the Apple Store in order to get your Application ID.
But you need to be part of the iOS Developer Program so you can go on https://itunesconnect.apple.com and "Add a new App".
If you're not ready to fill all the information just enter some random text and random picture as you can change them later.
Be carefull, from memory I'm not sure you can change the name of the App itself.
When done, click on your app. The new page will have a link call "View in App Store" of course if you click it you will get the information that the app your requested is not currently available.
But you are interested in the link itself as it contain the ID of your "future" app.
It should look like:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-app/id592073786?ls=1&mt=8
Where 592073786 is the id of your app.

Related

Does anyone know what the new format for direct links to App Store apps is or if that feature went away?

It seems Apple has made a change to how App Store links work and I can't find the new format.
To be clear I am looking for the new format that links to a specific app in any country's App Store. If you go to the Instagram product page, select to share the app, and choose to copy the link or go to iTC and copy the 'View in App Store' link you will get https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/instagram/id389801252?mt=8.
This link will only work in the country in which you copied the link. This means if you are in the US folks in Europe won't be able to use the link.
In the past you could just add your app name to the end of https://itunes.com/apps/ (for Instagram it would be https://itunes.com/apps/instagram). This no longer works as it opens the iTunes store rather than the App Store.
I've checked the 'What's New in App Store Connect' video from WWDC 2018 and there was no mention of any new format and using Google keeps giving me results around deep links which is not what I'm looking for.
Does anyone know if this is still possible to do, and if so, what the format is? Or perhaps I have found a bug with the transition from iTunesConnect to AppStoreConnect??

Open App Store 'Featured' page (not a specific app) from a link.

I know that an app can be linked to directly from an URL so that when it is clicked on my phone, the AppStore app will open and guide me to the app in question but is it possible to link to the 'Featured' page (or better still the 'Redeem' page of AppStore from a link?
The scenario is I send a promo code for AppXYZ out in an email and the recipient can click that email link and be taken to (a) the AppStore app or (b) the AppStore app Redeem page passing the code through.
I know the link for something similar in iTunes but not AppStore. Can't seem to find any info other than links to specific apps (which I don't want).
iTunes: itmss://buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/freeProductCodeWizard?code=THE_CODE
Thanks in advance.
If you want to redeem a code on the App Store it nevertheless always goes through the link you provided, but correctly spelled:
itms://buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/freeProductCodeWizard?code=THE_CODE
It opens the iTunes app on iOS with the code filled in, the user still has to tap on redeem as it's still a transaction. If he does so, the app will automatically be downloaded (just tested it with the latest iOS version)
I tried to copy a couple of links from the desktop iTunes and checked, if they work on iOS, but the answer is no. E.g.:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/collection/editors-choice/id25204?fcId=531794418&mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewRoom?fcId=1188885481&genreIdString=36&mediaTypeString=Mobile+Software+Applications
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewRoom?fcId=554381198&genreIdString=36&mediaTypeString=Mobile+Software+Applications
(Also tried it with itms:// instead of https://)

Send user to iOS9 app store to update

I would like to send a user to the iOS app store update page so they can update my app when prompted, so I can require that users update the app if the update contains critical security fixes, or something else vital.
I believe that I have found a link that I can send the user to the update page, which is
itms-apps://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftwareUpdate?id=<appid>&mt=8
So in my case I would use
UIApplication.sharedApplication().openURL(
NSURL(
string: "itms-apps://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftwareUpdate?id=969701501&mt=8"
)!
)
But I am not able to test it, because I am given a 404 page in the app store when I try
I'm assuming that I get this because the app was not actually downloaded from the app store (it was put onto my test device from Xcode), and I'm unable to test the link because I would need to download the application from the app store if my assumption is correct.
I've looked into using an itunes.apple.com link, but that redirects
to the app page, and although that page does have an update button, phobos.apple.com seems to be better because it only contains information about the update, and the new features in it, making it more user friendly.
Is my link correct for iOS 9, or is there a different/better method to send the user to the app store's Update App page? Even better, is there any way to prompt the user to update the app via an alert (kind of like requesting access to camera roll or location services, but updating the application)
Instead of this, you can open your application via the URL provided by Apple. This will automatically re-direct to your application page on App Store.
For example, https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/ibooks/id364709193?mt=8

iOS app pass specific id when app install from link

Project Detail :-
I am developing simple application in iOS,When app start there is one specific id or you can say password for specific user for login.
E.G.
I am installing app from link and link contain 12345 password,so when app installed from link and open app first time that password use as login. when other link contain abcde as password and install from link and open app first time that abcde password used without entering that from user.
Is there any way to pass specific id in url when app install first time from link.
As Per Apple Documentation about Promoting Apps with Smart App Banners
Is there any possibility to pass custom/specific parameter when user install from Smart App Banner and get that custom/specific parameter when app launch first time?.
I have read in forum and didn't get full information that it is possible or not?.
Not both install and open with information at the same time.
You have on link to go to the app store to get the app. You have another completely separate link to open the app once it is installed and pass it some information. From a user point of view these are 2 distinct tasks.
In the page you link to, app-id=myAppStoreID supports getting the app from the store and app-argument=myURL supports opening the existing app with supplied information. But, the user would click the banner once to go to the store and get the app, then return to Safari and click the banner again to open the app.

iOS link to app store before submitting an app

I'm building an "About" controller for my iPhone app. I've see other apps successfully include a "rate in market" link to within their "About" controllers.
Is it possible for me to predict what my link would be, so I can hard-code it in the first release of the app, rather than uploading/figuring out the link/releasing the update?
For example an android app market link may look like :
https://market.android.com/details?id=[package name]
for Android, there's an action view with a market URL that may be opened to link right to the app.
Is there a corresponding action within iOS? I want the customer to be able to navigate to the app's page on the app store from my "About" controller.
Check out the iTunes link maker. It looks like the generic form is:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/[APPNAME]/id[APP_ID]
Some examples:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myapp/id427813331?mt=8&uo=4
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hot-radar/id308361196?mt=8&uo=4
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lightshow-!/id380886382?mt=8&uo=4
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disney-world-park-maps-by/id392534629?mt=8&uo=4
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/universal-park-maps-orlando/id392535133?mt=8&uo=4
I think APP_ID refers to the iTunes Connect App ID for your product. So if you have that, and the name, your good to go!
Also when you create an app in iTunes Connect you have link View this app in app store there which you can use directly even if it is not published or sent to apple, so as soon as you create it with basic info you will have link there which you can copy.
By now Apple has introduced short-links via the appstore.com domain:
Q: How can I create easy-to-read short links to the App Store for my apps and company?
iOS: http://appstore.com/<appname> for example, http://appstore.com/keynote
See Technical Q&A QA1633 for the full description of the possibilities.

Resources