iPhone Game Development - Chris Craft [147]
You can copy an iTunes Store URL from inside iTunes. First, find an application you like on the App Store. Then right-click on either the developer's name or the application's name. You should see a context menu appear named Copy iTunes Store URL. If you click this menu item, you will have a link like the following URL: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=287545019&mt=8. This link works great for any hyperlinks on your Web pages or in your e-mails, but it is a bit unwieldy to show to people.
Another issue with this link is that you cannot tell what application it's for just by looking at it. For the most part, only we and Apple know this link is for the AppsAmuck iFlame application. If you want to have friendly URLs, one thing you can do is to use iTunes Deep Links. Creating a deep link is simple; just add the name of your app after itunescom/apps. Go to http://itunescom/iFlame to see an example of how much better this method is. We think you will agree that iTunes Deep Links is the way to go.
Cross-Reference
For a discussion on creating the iFlame application, see Chapter 4.
Worldwide distribution
Currently there are 77 App Store fronts. Each App Store front is targeted for a specific region. Apple does this so the iPhone OS platform can reach as many people as possible. If this book were not written in a language you were familiar with, would you have bought it? The same way this is important for the App Store and for this book, it is important for your applications. You should make an effort to allow your application to support as many of the world's App Store fronts as possible—ideally all of them.
However, note that if your application has country-specific functionality, such as SMS integration with limited carriers, or depends on Web services that aren't available outside of the United States, it should be limited to those countries where it does work. Customers tend to assume that an app available in their country's App Store will actually work in their country.
App Store Logo License Program
By now you have probably seen the Available on the App Store artwork. Developers enrolled in the iPhone Developer Program can join the App Store Logo License Program. Users now recognize the Available on the App Store artwork (Figure 10.20), and they know that when they see it there is an application available for their device on the App Store.
Cross-Reference
See Chapter 1 for more on the iPhone Developer Program.
Joining the App Store Logo License Program is a simple process. You will need to read the program's App Marketing License Agreement, then complete and mail the agreement to the address provided. Once you have read and complied with the agreement, you can download the Available on the App Store artwork and use it in your advertising, Web sites, and other application marketing items.
FIGURE 10.20
Available on the App Store artwork
iTunes Affiliates Program
As an iPhone application developer, you earn 70 percent royalties on any application you sell on the App Store. But did you know that iTunes has an affiliates program you can also join that lets you earn commissions on any sales through your generated affiliate links?
The iTunes Affiliates Program, shown in Figure 10.21, covers applications on the App Store, but it also applies to music, TV shows, movies, and audio books. As an iTunes affiliate, you earn a 5 percent commission on all qualifying revenue.
Consider this: You can spend a month creating a great iPhone application and earn 70 percent of the revenue generated for any sale, or you can spend a minute creating an affiliate link and earn 5 percent of the revenue generated for each sale through one of your links. Finally, you can earn up to 75 percent of the revenue for a sale if you created the application and it came from one of your affiliate links.
FIGURE 10.21
iTunes Affiliates Program
There is a lot of money to be made in creating iPhone applications, but it can be a lot of work. No doubt it is the path we would recommend you take. But there is some