Color App for Android and iPhone can be downloaded by calling a certain number (call **COLOR (**26567)). How exactly it works? I'm interested in both the way it redirects the user on the UI level as well as the technology used.
I understand that "**" is some kind of special prefix used it US - can it be done without this prefix (i.e. by calling an typical cellphone/stationary number)?.
I am posting this question here because I believe it is related to programming. I also cannot check it as I live outside US.
The answer below is from the Developers website: http://support.color.com/home
I guess the computer-based answering machine records your number when you call it, and then sends out a text message with a direct link to the app. Quite simple and elegant solution.
How do I get Color?
The easiest way is to call *COLOR (*26567) from your device. You will instantly receive a text message with a link to download the app from the Apple App store or Android Market.
Related
literally, I need to know how to automatically bring the url (share-link of share api) of the corresponding app page to the clipboard when a screenshot is detected..
I'm not sure the store allow my app.. but I really want to know it is technically possible
I tried this using Android broadcast receive, and talked with many senior programmer.
But everytime I asked, they were so pessimistic.
I just know how it works in technically.
Since IOS 13 came to live old 3 party APIs stopped working, In my app i needed to fix few because of that so i needed to fit it to IOS 13.
Since then Apple keeps rejecting my app because of Bluetooth user notification is not correct.
I just don't know what to write there, It is so annoying. I have to add it because of AdMobs and there is nowhere to say what to write over there.
I don't user BT in my app, it is just the AdMobs beacons that needs it probably.
I've tried:
and
And i will probably will have the same issue with the calendar message also.
When i try to remove it they demand it and then not approving it.... I understand maybe the first one but what wrong with the the second one? why is that no clear enough for them?
10x
see apple docs below: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/app-architecture/requesting-permission/
Explain why your app needs the information. Provide custom text (known
as a purpose string or usage description string) for display in the
system's permission request alert, and include an example. Keep the
text short and specific, use sentence case, and be polite so people
don't feel pressured. There’s no need to include your app name—the
system already identifies your app. For developer guidance, see
Protecting the User's Privacy.
you're not explaining exactly why you need access to bluetooth. you must be specific. saying, "XYZ app needs access to bluetooth to interact with beacons to serve you location based advertisements"
something like that should do. no cutting corners, no trying to put it off on Google, just say it like it is and you'll likely pass through app approval without a problem.
I just want to know whether has anyone tried to handle incoming calls through the application. Like, rejecting call if it matches a blacklist, answer, hold etc through the application.?
This is a question similar to this one. And from those answers I learn that is not possible to block/reject a phone call as this would interfere with the normal functionality of the phone. The App Certification requirements clearly state that this is not allowed. In short, even if you would succeed on doing this, your app wouldn't make it through validation to the MarketPlace.
I would like to search the Apple App Store from within my app, and return App information such as Icon, Description, Name, etc.
I found some examples using URL's. But from what I understand, they cause your app to pause as it opens either the App Store or the browser. If I am mistaken, please may you provide me with an example on how to accomplish this (seemingly) simple task?
Regards,
Shane
I don't think there is an API available to do what you are describing directly in the iOS device. However, you could hack something together using the search API available from apple. Check it out at here. You could do this behind the scenes rather then using the browser. It's not a simple task, but it is doable. Besk of luck.
There is a newly introduced issue with iPhone 3.0 SDK and how it deals with the NSURL method for automatically making phone calls. It used to be that you could call a method (NSURL), pass in a string with a URL prefix (tel://, sms, etc...) and the iPhone OS would dispatch the message to the device, such as iTunes, App Store, Phone, SMS, Mail, Safari, etc... The code goes something like this:
[openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:#"tel://8005551212"]];
When the method was called the phone call would be placed automatically. With the iPhone OS 3.0 when the method is called the app pops up a dialogue box asking for confirm the phone call. This breaks several existing apps as well as one that we just pushed into the App Store for review.
Can anyone think of a fix to this issue? I'm currently at a loss for what to do and trying to decide what other ways to handle this new wrench in the works.
I blogged about this and suggested that people contact Apple and make them aware of this issue. I also recommend a fix that a friend and I were thinking about - and that is to use the same "authorization" that location aware apps have; an app knows it's location aware and asks the user if it's okay to use their location.
Again, if anyone has a fix for this issue (and that is within the realm of the iPhone SDK as to not be rejected by Apple) please let me know; I would be greatly appreciative.
Update: Julian Romero Nieto has a good description of the bug and cites the (updated) Apple documentation and shows the issue at hand. You can read his posting to Oper Radar here.
I believe this is included as a security feature - imagine an app that called a 900 number at 3am every day for 10 minutes. If you compare it to the new 'In-App Purchase' API - it's much the same.
The location API comparison is a bad example - getting the users location is a privacy concern, not a financial one.
You can't fix this issue as this is what is intended - anything you do to "fix" the issue will result in an app that won't be approved.
The user experience is considered not to be good when an app can choose to dial a number without the user's consent. It would be possible for software to dial "premium" numbers that cost the user a lot of money without them realising.
This is standard across all mobile software platforms and OS - if it just changed in OS 3.0 then this shows that it must have been an issue that initially Apple thought they could get around. However I think that Mobile Operators will have put pressure on Apple to introduce this as often then end up having to refund the user - but will have already paid out the money to the "premium" number.
I am not sure if "premium" numbers exist in the US as much as they do in Europe and that maybe the reason this is hard to understand.
The RFC for tel:// says to NOT allow autodialing of numbers via the tel: scheme.
So they have to chose between RFC compliance and breaking these few apps.
I hope the chose to ignore the RFC, at least to allow apps to keep dialing if they allow it.
I question whether this is intentional on Apple's part to push users to purchase a new iPhone if they want voice dialing - this problem breaks all of the 3rd party voice dialing apps, making them unsafe and basically useless.
Let's keep up the pressure on Apple to make this a user-configurable setting.
Perhaps you meant newly introduced feature instead of issue?
I don't think you will get Apple to remove the confirmation popup, especially if it is RFC compliance.
Lemmy quote Joel (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2009/06/10c.html) regarding broken apps:
A good platform always has
opportunities for applications that
aren’t just gap-fillers. These are the
kind of application that the vendor is
unlikely ever to consider a core
feature, usually because it’s vertical
— it’s not something everyone is going
to want. There is exactly zero chance
that Apple is ever going to add a
feature to the iPhone for dentists.
Zero.
I would not want some application to make calls, send sms or even connect to internet (living in a country where unlimited mobile data plans are still far in the future) without my consent.
Certainly operator's headache when customers complain about unknown calls on bills.