Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles in Member Center

Now it's even easier to manage your development assets. The new Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles section in Member Center provides a unified view and intuitive interface to help you manage all your certificates, identifiers, devices, and provisioning profiles. To learn more about testing and distributing apps, read the new App Distribution Guide.

Using Identifiers in Your Apps

Starting May 1, the App Store will no longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs. Please update your apps and servers to associate users with the Vendor or Advertising identifiers introduced in iOS 6. You can find more details in the UIDevice Class Reference.

Make Your Apps Look Great on the Retina Display and iPhone 5

Starting May 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina display and iPhone apps must also support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5. Learn about preparing your apps by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.

Promoting Apps with App Store Short Links

Provide a simple way for users to find your apps with easy-to-remember App Store Short Links. Using an AppStore.com URL that includes your app or company name, you can create links to a single app or all of your apps. Ideal for print, TV, and radio, these links are accessible worldwide and will automatically direct users to their country’s respective App Store or Mac App Store. Learn more.

Examples:
AppStore.com/Keynote
AppStore.com/Apple

New Search API in Map Kit Now Available

The new Search API in Map Kit enables you to provide map-based addresses and points of interest directly within your app. Whether it’s finding the nearest coffee shop or looking up sites for an upcoming trip, users can find helpful business details such as phone numbers or URLs. Learn more about the new Search API in the Map Kit Framework Reference.

Please note that the API is not currently supported for use in Japan and Russia.

Updating Screenshots in iTunes Connect

Beginning January 9, app screenshots will be locked in iTunes Connect once your app has been approved. New screenshots may be uploaded when you submit a binary for an update to an existing app or a new app. For more information on capturing and using screenshots, read the Xcode User Guide.

Add to Passbook Badge and Guidelines Now Available

Passbook is the simplest way for users to store all their passes in one place. And with the Add to Passbook badge, you can offer users a visual cue to add your Passbook-compatible tickets, boarding passes, loyalty cards, coupons, and other passes from an app, email, or webpage. Access more than 15 localized badges and review important guidelines on using the Add to Passbook badge today. Learn more.

iTunes Connect Holiday Shutdown

As a reminder, iTunes Connect will shut down December 21–28 for the winter holidays. You should not schedule pricing changes that take effect during the shutdown — these changes will not be reflected on the App Store and your apps or In-App Purchase items will become unavailable until after the shutdown. In addition, releases that are scheduled to go live between these dates will be delayed.

Promote Your Apps with New Mac App Store Badges

In addition to updated product images, two new badges — “Available on the Mac App Store” for offline use and “Download on the Mac App Store” for online use — are now available and localized in 36 languages. Make sure you also review the new Mac App Store Marketing and Advertising Guidelines for important information on using badges, product images, best practices, and more. Sign in.

New Local Currencies on the App Store

It's easier than ever for users around the world to purchase your apps, now that the App Store supports local currencies in Russia, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. To see how these currencies align with price tiers, view the Rights and Pricing section of the Manage Your Applications module in iTunes Connect.

New App Store Badges and Product Images Now Available

Get the latest resources to promote your iOS apps worldwide. Two new badges — "Available on the App Store" for offline use and "Download on the App Store" for online use — are now available and localized in over 30 languages. And if your apps support iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation), download new product images to showcase your apps on the new 4-inch Retina display. Sign in.

Promote Your App with Smart App Banners

Make it easy for users to discover and download your app from a website on iOS devices. With Safari’s new Smart App Banner feature in iOS 6, you can display a banner that provides a direct link to your app on the App Store, or opens the app if the user already has it installed. Smart App Banners integrate seamlessly, have the same look and feel users know from the App Store, and are easy to implement. Learn more.

Optimize Your App Artwork for High Resolution Displays

The Retina display offers rich detail, vibrant colors, and razor-sharp text. To ensure that your iOS and Mac apps look their best, you'll need to optimize icons, custom controls, and other artwork. When you submit your app, you should also include high resolution assets for the App Store. Learn more.

Updated Guidelines Now Available

We review all apps to ensure they are reliable, perform as expected, and are free of offensive material. Before submitting your new or updated apps for review, check out the latest App Store Review Guidelines and Mac App Store Review Guidelines.

Submit Your Apps for iOS 6

iOS 6 will soon be in the hands of hundreds of millions of iOS customers. To prepare your apps for submission, download the GM seeds for iOS 6 and Xcode 4.5 and test your existing apps for compatibility. Be sure to review the updated App Store Review Guidelines and the iOS 6 Readiness Checklist, and submit your apps today. Sign in.

Volume Purchase Program Now Available in More Countries

It’s easier than ever to get your apps in front of more users around the world. Make your iOS apps available to businesses and educational institutions in the Volume Purchase Program, now offered in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States. Learn more.

Submit your OS X Mountain Lion apps today.

Make sure your apps take advantage of the great new features in OS X Mountain Lion when the world's most advanced operating system ships to millions of customers worldwide. Download OS X Mountain Lion GM seed and Xcode 4.4 GM seed, now available on the Mac Dev Center. Build your apps with these latest seeds, then test and submit for review. You can also submit iOS apps that take advantage of the new cross-platform Game Center Groups, so they'll be available when OS X Mountain Lion ships. Learn more.

WWDC 2012 Session Videos Now Available

You can now watch over 100 session videos covering iOS and OS X essentials, app services, developer tools, graphics, media and games, and more from the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Watch videos.

iOS 6 SDK Beta Now Available

Get your apps ready for iOS 6. Download the SDK and start exploring Maps, Facebook integration, Passbook, Reminders, new features with In-App Purchase and Game Center, new camera APIs, and so much more. Learn more.

OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4 Now Available

Take advantage of new features in OS X Mountain Lion, like Game Center, Notification Center, Documents in the Cloud, advanced security features, and Facebook integration. Learn more.

Get Your Mac Apps Ready for the Retina Display

It’s easy to make your OS X Lion and Mountain Lion apps look stunning on any display. Using Cocoa and Quartz 2D graphics, you can incorporate optimized graphic resources and ensure seamless transitions between standard resolution displays and the Retina display. Learn more.

New Resources for Using iCloud Storage

Take advantage of new resources for using iCloud Storage APIs in your iOS and OS X apps. The new iCloud Design Guide provides an in-depth look at iCloud Storage APIs, how they work, which ones are best for your apps, and best practices for implementation. And with iCloud Web Tools, you can debug your iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion apps by viewing content your app has stored on iCloud. Learn more.

Higher Storage Limits for iCloud Key Value Store

We've increased the storage limits for iCloud Key Value Store so you can provide an even better experience in your app. Now, the total Key Value Storage limit is 1 MB per app, the single key limit is 1 MB, and the total key limit is 1024. Key Value Store also updates devices faster than ever. Learn how you can get started with iCloud.

iTunes Connect Supports More Than 25 Languages

Now you have more ways to reach millions of users around the world. We have expanded language support in iTunes Connect, so you can localize app metadata, keywords, and screenshots in 10 new languages: Traditional Chinese, Norwegian, Turkish, Finnish, Danish, Indonesian, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, and Greek.

Check out the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for details on adding new localizations. And learn about other resources for Internationalization and Localization.

New Resources for Promoting iOS Apps

We’ve added new resources to the App Store Resource Center that make it even easier to promote your apps worldwide. The updated App Store Marketing and Advertising Guidelines for Developers provides helpful information on using the App Store badge—including new localized versions in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese—as well as featuring Apple products in marketing materials, creating custom photography and video, promoting apps with accessories, and more. Visit the App Store Resource Center.

Optimizing Connections to the Apple Push Notification Service

The Apple Push Notification Service provides a high-speed, high-capacity interface, so you should establish and maintain an open connection to handle all your notifications. Connections that are repeatedly opened and closed will affect the performance and stability of your connection to the Apple Push Notification Service and may be considered denial-of-service attacks. You should also connect regularly to the feedback service so you don’t send notifications to devices that no longer have your app installed. Learn more about connecting to the Apple Push Notification Service.

Higher Limit for Over-the-Air Downloads

Great apps come in all sizes. If you happen to offer a larger app, we’ve made it even easier for App Store customers to get your app wherever they are. We’ve raised the Wi-Fi download requirement from 20 MB to 50 MB so customers can download apps up to 50 MB in size over their cellular data network.

Get Started with Developer ID

The Mac App Store is the safest place for users to get software for their Mac, but we also want to protect users when they download applications from other places. Developer ID is a new way to help prevent users from installing malware on their Mac. Along with Gatekeeper, a new feature in OS X Mountain Lion, signing applications with your Developer ID certificate provides users with the confidence that your application is not known malware and has not been tampered with. Get started with Developer ID today and prepare your applications for Gatekeeper. Learn more.

Sandboxing Deadline Extended to June 1

We have extended the deadline for sandboxing your apps on the Mac App Store from March 1st to June 1st to provide you with enough time to take advantage of new sandboxing entitlements available in OS X 10.7.3 and new APIs in Xcode 4.3. Get more details about sandboxing your app and find answers to FAQs. Learn more.

OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview Now Available

OS X Mountain Lion introduces great features inspired by iPad, re-imagined for the Mac. With the Developer Preview, you can explore Game Center, Notification Center, Documents in the Cloud, new sharing capabilities, advanced security features and so much more. Read more about OS X Mountain Lion and download the Developer Preview today. Learn more.

Xcode 4.3 Now Available on the Mac App Store

Xcode 4.3 is now available as a standalone app in the Mac App Store. This version replaces the Install Xcode package and adds support for delta updates. Xcode 4.3 also has a new "Downloads" preference pane that lets you install optional components, such as command line tools and previous iOS Simulators.

Xcode 4.3 in the Mac App Store includes the OS X 10.7.3 SDK and iOS 5 SDK. If you are developing iOS 5.1 apps, you should continue to use Xcode 4.3 Developer Preview with iOS 5.1 SDK beta, available in the iOS Dev Center.

iAd Introduces Higher Revenue Share for Developers

The iAd mobile advertising network provides a simple and compelling way to generate additional revenue from your apps. Now we’re making it even better, raising your revenue share to 70 percent. The new revenue share goes into effect automatically on April 1 for all developers in the iAd Network. Learn how easy it is to get started with iAd.

Engaging Users with Local and Push Notifications

Local and push notifications are great for keeping users engaged around timely and relevant content, like score updates on their favorite team or breaking news stories. However, it’s important to adhere to the App Store Review Guidelines and avoid sending users unsolicited messages or spam as notifications. Doing so not only takes away from the user experience, but may cause your app to be removed from the App Store. Read our tips and best practices for using local and push notifications in your app. Learn more.

Adhering to Guidelines on Third-Party Marketing Services

Once you build a great app, you want everyone to know about it. However, when you promote your app, you should avoid using services that advertise or guarantee top placement in App Store charts. Even if you are not personally engaged in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews, employing services that do so on your behalf may result in the loss of your Apple Developer Program membership. Get helpful tips and resources on marketing your apps the right way from the App Store Resource Center.

Higher Data Limits for Turn-Based Matches in Game Center

Turn-based gaming adds another level of excitement to Game Center on iOS 5. We’ve recently increased the data size for turn-based matches from 4 kb to 64 kb, so you can take the fun to another level with more sophisticated gaming scenarios. Learn more about turn-based matches in Game Center.

Manage Default Language Settings in iTunes Connect

You can now edit the default language for app metadata any time. If you have multiple apps, you have the added flexibility of managing metadata localizations for each individual app. Any localizations you add will be displayed automatically based on customers’ OS or iOS language settings. Otherwise, the default language you select will be displayed to all customers. Learn more in the latest iTunes Connect Developer Guide.

iTunes Connect Holiday Shutdown Details

iTunes Connect will be temporarily shut down December 22-29 for the winter holidays. During this time, access to iTunes Connect and the delivery of apps and updates will be unavailable. You should not schedule pricing changes that would take effect during the shutdown, as these changes will not be reflected in the App Store and the app will become unavailable for purchase. In addition, releases scheduled between these dates will not go live until after the shutdown.

iOS 5.0.1 Now Available to Customers

iOS 5.0.1 is now available to iOS users worldwide. Be sure to read the iOS Data Storage Guidelines to understand the latest on managing data with iCloud storage.

iAd Producer 2.0 adds new tools and animation effects

New tools and animation effects in iAd Producer 2.0 make it even easier to build great iAds. Create sophisticated animations with precise control over object properties like position, opacity, size, color and shadow. Get instant, one-click access to any object or element on a page with the new object list. Make your iAds better and faster with new validation tools that identify optimization opportunities and common errors.
Learn more.

New File Attribute for Managing Data Backups

iOS 5.0.1 beta is now available on the iOS Dev Center. It introduces a new way for developers to specify files that should remain on device, even in low storage situations. Learn more.

Sandboxing and the Mac App Store

The vast majority of Mac users have been free from malware and we're working on technologies to help keep it that way. As of March 1, 2012 all apps submitted to the Mac App Store must implement sandboxing. Sandboxing your app is a great way to protect systems and users by limiting the resources apps can access and making it more difficult for malicious software to compromise users' systems. Learn more by visiting the App Sandbox page.

Join Us for iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour 2011

Take your apps to the next level at the iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour. This is your chance to learn about the exciting new technologies in iOS 5, straight from Apple's experts. Attendance is free, but space is limited. Register today.

Submit Your iOS 5 Apps Today

The next generation of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system will soon be in the hands of hundreds of millions of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch customers. This major new release features more than 200 new features and an updated SDK with over 1,500 new APIs and developer tools.

Get your apps ready for the next generation of iOS. Test your existing apps for compatibility, review the Data Storage Guidelines, and submit your new apps that take advantage of the exciting technologies in iOS 5 today. Read the iOS 5 Readiness Checklist now.

Submit Your iCloud Enabled OS X Lion Apps Today

With iCloud Storage APIs, your apps can store documents and key value data in iCloud. The documents are automatically kept up to date on all devices. Visit the Mac Dev Center and read the Get your OS X Lion apps ready for the Mac App Store page so you can prepare and submit your iCloud enabled OS X Lion apps today.

Get Your App Ready for iCloud Backup and Restore

iCloud introduces a smarter way for users to back up their info. It's important to read the new iCloud Data Storage Guidelines to ensure that your app works best with iCloud Backup and Restore, available on iOS 5.

Automatically Download iTunes Connect Reports

You can now access a new tool that gives you the ability to automate the download of your iTunes Connect Sales and Trends reports. This new Auto-Ingest tool gives you the ability to download the Daily Sales Summary Report, the Weekly Sales Summary Report, and the Weekly Opt-in Report without logging in to iTunes Connect.

Learn more in the Sales and Trends Reporting Guide.

New Features Now Available in iTunes Connect

We are pleased to announce two new features added to iTunes Connect to help you manage your apps. The latest version of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 7.0) provides details on the following features:

• New Metadata Rejected App Review Status

  You can now resolve metadata issues that have been identified by the App Review team without having to recompile and resubmit a new binary for review.

• App Bundle IDs Now Editable Before Binary Submission

  You can now edit your app's assigned Bundle ID in iTunes Connect as long as you have not submitted a new binary for review and your app is not using Game Center or the iAd Network.

You can find more information about these new features in the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.

Localized “Available on the Mac App Store” Badges

We now offer localized versions of the “Available on the Mac App Store” badge in German, Danish, Spanish, Finnish, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Swedish. Take advantage of these localized badges to ensure your customers know your app is available on the Mac App Store.

Mac Developer Program members can download both English and localized versions of the badge by visiting the Marketing Resources section of the App Store Resource Center.

Updated iTunes Connect Developer Guide Now Available

We are pleased to announce that iTunes Connect now offers exciting new features and enhancements. The latest version of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 6.9) provides details on these updates, including:

• The ability to add a localizable Publication Name: for Auto-Renewable In-App Purchases in 18 languages;
• The Volume Purchase Program now available for businesses;
• The expansion of the App Store to 33 new territories.

You can read more about these new features and updates in the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.

Now Available - Volume Purchasing for Business

Businesses in the United States can now enroll in the Volume Purchase Program and purchase your apps in volume for distribution within their organization. You can also offer custom apps that provide tailored solutions to customers who have a Volume Purchase Program account. Learn more about the Volume Purchase Program and review the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for details on submitting custom apps.

Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 4 Now Available

The eighth major release of the world's most advanced operating system challenges the accepted way of doing things by introducing new features that change the way you use a computer. This developer preview features over 3,000 new APIs covering a range of new technologies and capabilities that you can incorporate into your apps. Start developing your apps today so they are ready when Lion ships this summer.

To obtain your copy of this new release, get a redemption code from the Mac Dev Center. Then proceed to the Mac App Store to redeem your code and download the fourth developer preview of Mac OS X Lion. To build apps with this version of Lion you must use Xcode 4.1 Developer Preview 6 available from the Mac Dev Center.

Download iOS 5 and iOS 5 SDK Beta Today

iOS 5, the latest version of the world’s most advanced operating system, includes over 200 new user features, and an updated SDK with over 1,500 new APIs and powerful new development tools.

Take advantage of an array of new features that will delight your users, including iCloud Storage, Notification Center, Newsstand, iMessage, Twitter integration, Game Center, and more.

iOS 5 and iOS 5 SDK beta are now available to iOS Developer Program members from the iOS Dev Center. Download these new releases and start designing your apps for iOS 5 today.

Get Started with iCloud Beta

iCloud Storage APIs enable your apps to store documents and key value data in iCloud. iCloud will wirelessly push documents to a user's devices automatically and update the documents when changed on any device – automatically.

iOS and Mac Developer Program members can set up iCloud for iOS, OS X Lion, and Windows, and prepare their apps for the iCloud service.

Updated App Store Review Guidelines Now Available

Read the updated App Store Review Guidelines for iOS and Mac apps.

Safari 5.1 Developer Preview Now Available

Safari and Mac Developer Program members can download Safari 5.1 Developer Preview and take advantage of new technologies, including support for full-screen webpages, media caching with the HTML5 application cache, and better graphics acceleration on Windows. Mac Developer Program members can also download Safari 5.1 Developer Preview for Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Windows.

Safari 5.1 will be available for users this summer.

iAd Rich Media Ads. Now Being Served to iPad.

iAd rich media ads are now being served to iPad apps on the U.S. App Store — redefining mobile advertising with rich, immersive ads that take full advantage of the stunning 9.7 inch LED-backlit display.

Many developers with apps just like yours are already making thousands of dollars per week serving iAd rich media ads. Make the most of this growing opportunity now. Learn how you can join the iAd mobile advertising network and generate more revenue with iAd.

Mac App Store Joins the Affiliate Program

The addition of the Mac App Store to our Affiliate Program provides a new way for you to generate revenue. When you join the program, you can create affiliate links to apps on the Mac App Store and receive a commission on all qualifying sales. As an affiliate, you can also receive commission on sales from the iTunes Store and App Store that start from your affiliate links.

Learn more about the benefits of this exciting program and get all the details on how to become an affiliate today.

View Details Of Any Issues During App Review

You can now view details about any issues found during the review of your app from the new Resolution Center in iTunes Connect.

If your app has been reviewed and needs further refining before it can be approved for the App Store, you will receive an email with a link to the iTunes Connect Resolution Center. The Resolution Center offers additional details, explanatory screenshots if applicable, and links to information on how to resolve any issues. You can also respond directly to the App Review Team from within the Resolution Center. All communications with the App Review Team will be visible to you and the Admin and Technical members of your team.

Xcode 4 Now Available

Xcode 4 is now available to all Mac and iOS Developer Program members. Xcode 4 has a streamlined new interface that integrates UI design, coding, testing, and debugging, all within a single window. The embedded Apple LLVM compiler underlines coding mistakes as you type, and is even smart enough to fix the problems for you automatically. Learn more about Xcode 4.

iOS SDK 4.3 GM Seed Now Available

Get your apps ready for iOS 4.3 which features faster Safari mobile browsing performance with the Nitro JavaScript engine, iTunes Home Sharing, enhancements to AirPlay, and Personal Hotspot. iOS Developer Program Members can now download iOS 4.3 GM seed and SDK GM seed from the iOS Dev Center.

Be sure to update your iPad apps so they take advantage of iPad 2 features including the powerful Apple A5 chip, built-in front and rear cameras, and gyroscope.

New Subscription Service for iOS Apps

You can now offer an easy one-click experience for Auto-Renewable digital subscriptions in your iOS content-based apps on the App Store. Auto-Renewable Subscriptions allow users to purchase In-App content, and the purchase is automatically renewed at the end of the period unless the user chooses to cancel the subscription. Using In-App Purchase provides a simple standardized way to implement these auto-renewable subscriptions for your content.

Log in to learn more about how to use In-App Purchase in your iOS apps to implement Auto-Renewable Subscriptions for your content.

Updated App Store Review Guidelines Now Available

Before submitting your iOS apps for approval be sure to review the updated App Store Review Guidelines which provide rules and examples across a range of development topics, including using Auto-Renewable Subscriptions for your content-based apps.

Introduce Your App to Millions of Mac Users

The Mac App Store is now open, making it easier than ever for users to discover, purchase, and download your apps. Take advantage of this exciting, new opportunity to showcase your Mac apps to millions of users in 90 countries.

Log in to the Mac Dev Center to access a range of resources that will help you prepare and submit your apps to the Mac App Store.

Introducing iAd Producer

iAd Producer makes it easy for you to design and assemble high-impact, interactive content for iAd. iAd Producer automatically manages the HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript behind your iAd to make creating beautiful, motion-rich iAd content as easy as point and click.

For advanced developers, iAd Producer offers sophisticated JavaScript editing and debugging, along with a powerful extension mechanism that enables them to create and re-use their own page templates and components. Learn more about the features of iAd Producer.

Apps in the "Upload Received" State for Over 24 Hours

If your app still appears in the Upload Received state for more than 24 hours after you submit it, there could be an issue with your binary. Contact iTunes Connect Support for assistance by going to the Contact Us section of iTunes Connect. Select Manage Your Applications > Upload Received, then provide the information requested.

App Store Submission Tip: Keep App Review and Ratings Reliable

App reviews and ratings provide customers with a valuable tool for providing feedback on their experience with your app, from the things they love about it to the features they would like to see added and the bugs they'd like to see fixed. Potential customers expect that the reviews and ratings they see in the App Store have been earned legitimately and have been given by real customers who have actually used your application.

Paying or soliciting others to falsely inflate or manipulate reviews for your app degrades the accuracy of your ratings and diminishes the overall effectiveness of the reviews and ratings system, which customers and developers depend on.

Generate positive feedback from your customers by building reliable apps. You may even want to consider designing your app to ask users to rate it on the App Store after being used a few times. Keep your ratings genuine and you'll go a long way in keeping your users' confidence and trust.

Read more App Store Submission Tips

Mac App Store Opens January 6

We are thrilled to announce that on January 6 the Mac App Store will open to millions of users around the world. By bringing the revolutionary App Store experience to Mac OS X, the Mac App Store makes discovering, purchasing, and downloading Mac apps easier than ever, and provides you with the best place to distribute your Mac apps.

Be a part of the grand opening of the Mac App Store and take advantage of this exciting opportunity to reach new customers. Build, test, and compile your apps with Xcode 3.2.5, then submit them for review no later than Friday, December 31 at 5 PM PST. As a reminder, iTunes Connect will be shutdown from December 23 - December 28. During this time you will not be able to submit your apps to the App Store.

View Your Application Crash Logs in iTunes Connect

iTunes Connect allows you to view your application crash logs on demand and see the latest crash reports for the most recently approved version of your app on the App Store. Read the Fetching New Crash Reports section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more details on viewing crash logs.

Make Your App More Accessible with VoiceOver

iOS comes standard with accessibility features that help people with disabilities experience all that iPhone, iPad and iPod touch have to offer including VoiceOver, the world's first gesture-based screen reader. Users can simply touch the screen to hear a description of the item under their finger, then double-tap, drag, or flick to control their device.

All of the built-in views and controls can support VoiceOver automatically, and it's simple to incorporate VoiceOver compatibility in custom views using the accessibilityLabel property. Get all the details on how to add accessibility to your app by reading the Accessibility Programming Guide for iOS. For more details on how VoiceOver works, and other iOS accessibility features, visit the Accessibility webpage.

Updated iTunes Connect Developer Guide Now Available

Version 6.3 of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide is now available. Be sure to review the latest guide to learn about new features and updates in iTunes Connect.

You'll find the iTunes Connect Developer Guide available for download on the homepage of iTunes Connect.

Using the Same App Name for Mac and iOS Apps

You can now submit a Mac OS X version of your app to the Mac App Store with the identical name as your iOS app on the App Store. Having the same name for your app on both the App Store and Mac App Store allows you to maintain the consistency of your brand and makes your app easily recognizable to customers.

App Store Submission Tip: Preparing In App
Purchase Items for App Review

All In App Purchase items are reviewed each time they are submitted. The following submission tips will help you better prepare your In App Purchase items for review:

• If you are using In App Purchase for the first time, be sure to submit both the In App Purchase items and the binary at the same time. Don't forget that every item you want to offer must first be created in iTunes Connect
• If you are submitting your In App Purchase items for a binary you plan to upload at a later time, choose the 'Submit with Binary' option in iTunes Connect. This will ensure that the application and the In App Purchase items go live at the same time
• If your In App Purchase items are delivered from your server, be sure that it is on and ready so that the App Review Team can access your In App Purchase items
• Provide clear and accurate screenshots and descriptions for your In App Purchase items
• Do not submit test versions of your In App Purchase items for review

You can find more details about submitting your In App Purchase items in the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.

Read more App Store Submission Tips

Editing Metadata Once You've Submitted an
App for Review

Once you have submitted your app for review, there is certain metadata which cannot be edited, such as keywords and the name of your app. However, some metadata can be edited at any time, such as screen shots, your marketing description, and your support URL.

Review Appendix A and Appendix B of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for complete details on when you can edit or update app metadata.

File System Usage Requirements for Mac Apps

To promote a more consistent user experience, Mac apps submitted to the App Store must write files in the appropriate location. This avoids users being confused when applications store data in unexpected areas of the file system (e.g., storing databases in the user's Documents folder or storing files in the user's Library folder that are not recognizably associated with your application).

Learn more about file system usage

Mac App Store Submission Tip: Do not submit demos, trials, or betas for Mac App Store Review

Your website is the best place to provide demos, trial versions, or betas of your software for customers to explore. The apps you submit to be reviewed for the Mac App Store should be fully functional, retail versions of your apps.

Considerations for Creating Custom Controls for your Mac App

The Mac OS X Aqua user interface provides users with a consistent visual and behavioral experience across applications and the operating system, and provides an aesthetically refined use of color, transparency, and animation.

If your application requires an element or behavior that doesn't already exist, you can create your own custom controls, provided that your element or behavior supports Apple's interface design principles. Review the Extending the Interface section of the Apple Human Interface Guidelines for details.

iAd Expanding to New Countries

Beginning in December, iAd rich media ads will be available for apps on the UK and France App Stores, with Germany to follow in January. And apps on the Japan App Store will be able to serve iAd rich media ads beginning in early 2011.

If you are not already part of the iAd Network, don't miss this growing opportunity to create a significant new revenue stream. Apple sells and serves the ads and you receive 60 percent of the advertising revenue generated. Join the iAd Network.

Important Notice: iTunes Connect Holiday Shutdown Dec 23 - Dec 28

iTunes Connect will be temporarily unavailable from Thursday, December 23 through Tuesday, December 28. iTunes Connect access will resume on Wednesday, December 29.

Do not schedule price changes or availability dates during the shutdown. Pricing changes scheduled during the shutdown will not be reflected on the App Store and will result in your app becoming unavailable for purchase. If you select an availability date that occurs during the scheduled holiday shutdown, your app will not go live on the App Store until iTunes Connect resumes business on December 29. Please plan your releases accordingly.

Start Submitting Your Mac Apps to the Mac App Store Today

The Mac App Store will be opening soon. You can get ready by submitting your Mac apps for review now. Log in to the Mac Dev Center for details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, creating Apple-issued Mac Distribution Certificates, and preparing your apps for the review process.

iTunes Connect Now Open to Mac Developer Program Members

Mac Developer Program members who plan to distribute their apps on the Mac App Store can now log in to iTunes Connect and create their account. This suite of web-based tools allows developers to submit and manage their apps, check the status of contracts, set up tax and banking information, and obtain reporting on sales and downloads.

Mac Developer Program members who are also enrolled in the iOS Developer Program can use their existing iTunes Connect account and do not need to create a new account to submit Mac apps. However, all developers who are submitting paid apps for the Mac App Store will need to click through the Paid Applications Agreement in iTunes Connect.

App Store Resources for Mac Developers

The App Store Resource Center offers a wealth of information to assist Mac developers prepare their apps for submission to the Mac App Store. You'll find details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, the metadata you'll need to submit along with your app, assigning keywords, what to expect during the review of your app, and managing updates to your app once it's on the App Store.

Submit Your iOS 4.2 Apps Today

iOS 4.2 SDK GM seed and iOS 4.2 GM seed are now available from the iOS Dev Center. Build, test, and compile your apps with these new releases and submit them for review so they can be ready when iOS 4.2 is available to iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users.

Learn how you can add exciting iOS 4.2 features to your apps including the capability to print directly from iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. iPad apps can now take advantage of multitasking, Game Center, iAd, and more.

Get Your Mac Apps Ready for the Mac App Store

Mac Developer Program members can visit the Mac Dev Center now to learn how to get their apps ready for the Mac App Store — with resources on how to prepare apps for distribution and how to sign apps with Apple-issued Mac Certificates.

Mac App Store Review Guidelines

All Mac apps submitted to the Mac App Store will be reviewed to ensure that they are reliable, perform as expected, and are free of explicit and offensive material. To assist you in preparing your apps, we have detailed the review criteria in the Mac App Store Review Guidelines.

If your app does not follow the Guidelines, the App Review Team will notify you about the changes you need to make before it can be posted to the Mac App Store. Visit the App Store Resource Center to learn more about the app approval process.

App Store Submission Tip: Availability of Your
App on the App Store Once it is Ready for Sale

Once the App Review Team has approved your app, its status will appear as “Ready for Sale” in iTunes Connect. However, your app may take up to 24 hours to appear on the App Store. In addition, your contracts must be signed and completed before your app is available for sale. You can check the status of your contracts from the Contracts, Tax and Banking Information module in iTunes Connect.

Read more app submission tips

Controlling the Release of Updates for Your Apps

Version Release Control is a recently added feature in iTunes Connect that is presented when you submit updates for your apps currently on the App Store. This feature gives you the option to either automatically release an update once it's approved by the App Review Team, or release it yourself through the Manage Your Applications module.

If you select to release a version yourself, it will appear as Pending Developer Release once it has been approved and will remain in this state until you release it to the App Store. You will receive an email reminder to release a version of your app if it is in the Pending Developer Release state for longer than 30 days.

For more details, read the Version Release Control section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.

Get Your Apps Ready for iOS 4.2

iOS 4.2 is coming this November. With iOS SDK 4.2 beta, you can add exciting, new features to your apps including the capability to print directly from iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. iPad apps can now take advantage of multitasking, Game Center, iAd, and more.

iOS Developer Program members can log in to the iOS Dev Center to learn more and download the beta releases.

Ensure Your App is Properly Enabled for Game Center Before Review

If you plan to incorporate Game Center into your app, it's important to correctly enable Game Center in iTunes Connect before you submit it for review.

To enable your app for Game Center, follow these steps:

• Go to the Manage Game Center page from within the Manage Your Applications module in iTunes Connect and click on the Enable button. This will allow you to test your app in the sandbox and set up metadata for leaderboards and achievements.
• Go to the Version Details page and click on the Enable for this Version button. This will allow this specific version of your app to access Game Center once its live on the App Store, and lets you enable or disable leaderboard, achievement and multiplayer settings on a per-version basis.

Properly Indicating Required Device Capabilities

If your app requires certain hardware features to run properly on a user's device, you need to add a list of those requirements to the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in your Info.plist file. However, you should only add keys for features you must have. Setting a key to false is not the same as leaving out the key. When you set a key to false, you are instructing your app to run only if the device does not have the requirements. Ensuring that you have properly set your UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key is important so that users don't install your app on a device that lacks the necessary hardware.

You can learn more about properly indicating specific hardware requirements in your Info.plist file by reading Understanding the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key.

App Store Review Guidelines

The newly published App Store Review Guidelines are now available to iOS Developer Program Members. The Guidelines provide guidance and examples across a range of iOS development topics, including user interface design, functionality, content, and the use of specific technologies to help you prepare your apps for the approval process.

Updated Sales and Trend Reports Module in iTunes Connect

We are pleased to announce a new design for the Sales and Trend reports module in iTunes Connect. This new design makes it easier to access and view important data about your app sales, including:

• A new dashboard with trending graphs of your daily and weekly sales data
• The ability to review summary data by selling category
• Top Products and Top Markets display
• Improved navigation to help you find the type of data you need quickly

You can read more about all the changes in the user guide, available within the Sales and Trends module in iTunes Connect.

iOS Developer Program

The iPhone Developer Program is now the iOS Developer Program. You will continue to access the same program benefits and technical resources for developing and distributing your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch apps.

iOS SDK 4.1 GM Seed Now Available

iOS Developer Program members can log in to the iOS Dev Center to download iOS 4.1 GM seed and iOS SDK 4.1 GM seed. Review the Xcode 3.2.4 Readme and the iOS SDK 4.1 GM seed Release Notes before installing and developing with these new releases.

Getting Started with Game Center

Game Center is Apple's new social gaming network that allows your users to invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer game through auto-matching, track their achievements, and compare their best scores on a leaderboard. Learn everything you need to know about developing your apps for Game Center, from understanding the fundamentals to updating your Game Center app once it's on the App Store. Log in to the iOS Dev Center

New iTunes Connect Payments and Financial Reports Module

We're excited to announce the new Payments and Financial Reports module in iTunes Connect. This new module provides you with details on all financial reports and payments. From a dashboard view, you can quickly obtain information including last payment, amount owed, latest monthly earnings, a rolling transaction history, unit sales, and payment trends.

In addition, we've also made significant updates to how your payments will be processed and how they are presented on iTunes Connect, including:

• Reduction in the thresholds required to be paid, increasing the frequency you will receive proceeds.
• A consolidated single monthly payment for all your proceeds worldwide, reducing bank fees and costs.
• Clearer presentation of amounts earned, amounts owed, and a reconciliation between the reported sales and the amounts paid.

For more detail, read the iTunes Connect Payments & Financial Reports Guide available from the Payments and Financial Reports module in iTunes Connect.

Set Up Game Center Achievements and Leaderboard Categories

You can now set up metadata for your Game Center Achievements and Leaderboard Categories in iTunes Connect. Setting up these elements will allow you to test the full capabilities of Game Center for your app in the sandbox environment.

Read the Manage Game Center section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more information.

Announcing the App Store Volume Purchase Program

We're pleased to announce the App Store Volume Purchase Program. Education institutions in the United States now have a new way to purchase your apps in volume for distribution to their students and faculty. You can also elect to offer special education pricing on your app when purchased in volume.

Read more about the App Store Volume Purchase Program and how to get started in iTunes Connect.

You Can Now Control When Your App Update Goes Live

With the new Version Release Control in iTunes Connect, you can control when an updated version of your app goes live, rather than have the version go live as soon as it is approved by App Review.

Read the Version Release Control section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more information.

Three New App Status Indicators in iTunes Connect

We've added three new status indicators to iTunes Connect which give you a more precise indication of the state of your app when you are submitting your binary for approval.

Prepare for Upload indicates that you have created a new version, but you have not yet clicked the Ready to Submit Binary button, which indicates that you are ready to deliver a binary through Application Loader. This state's status color is yellow.

Pending Developer Release indicates that the version of your app has been approved by App Review and you have turned on the Version Release Control, but have not yet clicked Send Version Live. This state's status color is yellow. You should also see a pending action symbol on the version. Your version will remain in this state, and thus will not be live on the App Store until you click Send Version Live.

Processing for App Store indicates that the version is being processed to go live on the App Store. Once the processing is complete, the version state will change to "Ready for Sale." This state is very temporary (1-2 hours). This state's status color is yellow.

For more information, refer to the App Store Resource Center, App Store Approval Process section.

Remove Apps Using App Delete in iTunes Connect

You can now remove any unwanted applications from your view in iTunes Connect using App Delete. There are important factors to consider when using App Delete — for example, if you want to re-use your SKU or App Name — so be sure to read the App Delete section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more information.

See What's New in the Xcode 4 Developer Preview

iPhone and Mac Developer Program members can now download a preview of Xcode 4, the next generation of Apple's integrated development environment for creating iOS and Mac OS X applications.

With a brand-new interface, compiler, debugger and dozens of new features, Xcode 4 is faster, easier to use, and more helpful than ever before. Quite simply, Xcode 4 will help you writer better code.

Read about the many new enhancements in Xcode 4 and download the developer preview today.

Important Information about Submitting Your Apps
to iTunes Connect

All binary submissions to iTunes Connect must now be uploaded using Application Loader either through Xcode's built-in App Submission process, or directly using the Application Loader software. This offers a significantly improved experience over uploading through iTunes Connect, including faster uploading, a more stable connection, and early validation warnings. Make sure the status of your app in iTunes Connect is Waiting for Upload before you submit your binary.

Read the Distributing Applications section of the iOS Development Guide for more information about preparing your app for submission to iTunes Connect.

Registered Apple Developers can also download and watch these session videos from WWDC 2010 to learn more about using Application Loader for binary submission:

• App Publishing with iTunes Connect
• Mastering Xcode for iPhone OS Development, Part I

Exciting New Features in iTunes Connect

iTunes Connect now offers exciting new features and enhancements. The iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 6.0) provides details about these features and how you can take advantage of them, including:

• Using the new Version Release Control to choose when your new app version goes live on the App Store;
• Delivering binaries using Application Loader;
• New states for your app including Prepare for Upload, Pending Developer Release, and Processing for App Store;
• UI Enhancements that indicate when you can edit your app information;
• Game Center functionality for the setup of Achievements and Leaderboard Categories for sandbox testing purposes.

You'll find the iTunes Connect Developer Guide available for download on the homepage of iTunes Connect.

Announcing iAd for Developers.
A great way to promote your applications

The new iAd for Developers program is a great way for you to advertise your own apps to millions of users across the iAd Network. When a user taps on an ad for your app, they can download it from the App Store without leaving the app they're in.

It's easy to get started. Learn more about how you can drive more customers to your app with iAd for Developers.

iTunes Connect Mobile App Available

The iTunes Connect Mobile (iTC Mobile) app for iPhone allows you to review your sales and related trends, and make informed business decisions while you're on the go. You can also view your aggregated unit sales information by product line (e.g., paid apps, free apps, In-App purchases), market (e.g., U.S., France) and individual product. Your information is displayed graphically and can be customized to view select periods of time.

The iTC Mobile app for iPhone is available as a free download from the App Store. For detailed instructions on how to take advantage of all the features of iTC Mobile, download the iTC Mobile User Guide from the homepage of iTunes Connect.

Upload High-res Screenshots and Icons for Your App

Take full advantage of the Retina display on iPhone 4 by uploading a hi-res small app icon and hi-res screenshots for your apps in iTunes Connect. Read the Technical Q&A: App Icons on iPad and iPhone and review the Upload section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more details.

New Version of iTunes Connect Developer Guide
Available

The latest version of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 5.6) is now available. This new version includes information on:

• Enabling your app for iAd rich media ads and the iAd Network module in iTunes Connect;
• New support for requesting Promotional Codes;
• Fetching crash logs on demand;
• Requirements for submitting high resolution screenshots and small icons.

You'll find the iTunes Connect Developer Guide available for download on the homepage of iTunes Connect.

iAd Network Advertising Roll Out Begins July 1

The initial launch of iAd rich media ads, featuring advertising from some of the world's leading brands, will begin July 1.

At launch, we’ll roll out in North America and ramp up the number of ads served in the weeks and months ahead. For developers outside of North America, iAd will be rolled out in a few months.

If you haven’t already joined the iAd Network, visit the App Store Resource Center for details on getting started.

App Store Tip: Prevent A Blank Ad Space From Appearing When Ads Are Not Available

If you have dedicated a section of your app for an iAd, it's important to incorporate a banner view delegate that will handle common events, including errors. Having the proper delegate to handle errors maintains the visual experience customers have with ads in your app by preventing a blank banner from being displayed when ads are not available. In addition, if your app displays a blank banner when advertisements are not being displayed, your app will be returned to you by the App Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App Store.

Read the Working with Banner Views section of the iAd Programming Guide for details on using the bannerView:didFailToReceiveAdWithError: method so that your banner view responds correctly when advertisements are not available. Registered Apple Developers can also watch the WWDC 2010 session video Integrating with iAd, which covers ad banner events in the Application Frameworks section of the presentation.

Read more app submission tips

Review the iOS 4 Readiness Checklist

The next generation of the world's most advanced mobile operating system is in the hands of iPhone users around the world, and is now available to iPod touch users for free.

Make sure that your applications are compatible with iOS 4. All new applications and updates to existing applications must be built with iPhone SDK 4. In addition, the App Store will no longer support applications that target iOS 2.x.

Review the iOS 4 Readiness Checklist for a wealth of technical resources to help you make the most of the new technologies in iOS 4 and information on submitting your iOS 4 apps to the App Store.

App Store Tip: Creating A Great Presence on the App Store

Everything from the way you describe the functionality of your app to the images you use for your screenshots will impact a customer's initial perception of your app. Here are a few tips that can help you create a great presence for your app on the App Store:

• Write your Application Description with a focus on what makes the functionality or design of your app unique.
• Use engaging screenshots that demonstrate the special capabilities of your application.
• Keep your application icons free of terms like "sale," "lite," or "free."
• Make sure your screenshots and application descriptions do not include objectionable material or irrelevant content.
• Leave out specific information about the price of your app in your Application Description.
• Have your application URL take the user to a functioning website with content about and support for your application.

Consider these tips the next time you upload metadata for your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch applications.

Read more app submission tips

Promote Your App with
“Available on the App Store” Artwork

Make sure your customers know that your iPad, iPhone and iPod touch applications are available on the App Store. Members of the iPhone Developer Program can take advantage of “Available on the App Store” badges and product images of iPad, iPhone and iPod touch for marketing and advertising. Log in to the App Store Resource Center to download these images, make sure you review the App Marketing and Identity Guidelines for Developers to ensure you use all artwork correctly.

Join the iAd Network

The iAd Network offers you a new, easy-to-implement source of revenue through incorporating iAd rich media ads in your applications. Apple sells and serves the ads, and you receive 60 percent of the advertising revenue. Learn about getting started with the iAd Network, how to prepare your apps for iAd, and how to create iAd rich media ads.

Announcing the Safari Developer Program

We are pleased to announce the Safari Developer Program. This free program provides you with the tools and resources you need to create extensions that enhance and customize Safari. You can add buttons to the Safari toolbar, create bars of your own, modify the behavior and appearance of webpages, and more — all with HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

Submit Your iOS 4 App Today

Log in to iTunes Connect and submit your iOS 4 application now, so it will be ready for sale when iOS 4 is available to iPhone and iPod touch users. Make sure you have built and tested your app using iOS 4 and iPhone SDK 4 GM seed available from the iOS Dev Center.

Discover New Revenue Opportunities with the App Store Affiliate Program

Learn about the App Store Affiliate Program and how you can create new revenue opportunities in your app by linking to the iTunes Store and the App Store. Make sure to read the App Store Affiliate Program page for details on how to become an affiliate and for guidelines on implementing links within your app.

Gifting Feature Now Available on the App Store

Customers can now gift your paid app to friends and family on the App Store. Clicking on the disclosure triangle next to Buy App button displays a menu that lets the user purchase your app and send it as a gift. Recipients will receive an email letting them know that a gifted app is waiting for them to download.

New Version of iTunes Connect Developer Guide Available

The latest version of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 5.5) is available for download. Some of the updates you’ll find in the newest version of the Guide include:

• iPad screenshots, icon and delivery requirements as well as details on a new status called Missing Screenshot;
• Details on how to enable your app for Game Center and set up your Leaderboard to test using iPhone SDK 4 beta;
• Interval pricing details to help you learn how to schedule price tier changes in advance for your apps and in app purchases;
• Information on the Over the Air download limit;
• Recommended app name character count for optimal display on desktop and device App Stores.

You'll find the iTunes Connect Developer Guide available for download on the homepage of iTunes Connect.

View Your Customer Reviews in iTunes Connect

You can now quickly access customer reviews through iTunes Connect. Customer reviews are conveniently categorized by country so you can see which reviews have been left for your apps within each app store territory. Log in to iTunes Connect and go to your application details in the Manage Your Applications module to see what customers are saying about your app.

Replacing Your Private Key or Distribution Certificate

Your private keys are essential components to uploading your application to the App Store and installing your application on iPhone and iPod touch. Any time you need a new private key or certificates, you can replace them without affecting your applications already on the App Store. Just submit a new CSR (Certificate Signing Request) and download your new certificates and provisioning profiles.

For more information on replacing your distribution private key or distribution code signing certificate, see the iPhone Developer Program User Guide.

Download the New iPhone SDK and
iPhone OS 4 beta Today

With a rich set of over 1,500 new APIs, iPhone SDK 4 provides you with an amazing range of technologies to enhance the functionality of your iPhone and iPod touch applications. New APIs enable Multitasking, integration of interactive ads into your apps, and allow you to get started developing games on the new social gaming network with the Game Kit Preview.

iPhone Developer Program members can download iPhone SDK and iPhone OS 4 beta, now available in the iOS Dev Center.

Keep Your Contact Information Current

As a quick reminder — please make sure you keep your contact information up to date. If we need to reach you by phone or email with questions regarding your app submission, we won't be able to do so if the information we have for you isn't current. Whenever you need to make changes to your contact information, just log in to the new Member Center, click on the Your Account tab and then select Update Profile. If you need additional assistance regarding updating your contact information, email us at:devprograms@apple.com.

App Store Tip: Don't Forget to Include Network Error Alerts in Your Code

If your application provides functionality that requires access to a network, it's very important that your code include a customer alert or notification when the network is not available.

The Reachability sample application demonstrates how to use the System Configuration Reachability API to monitor the network state of an iPhone or iPod touch. Use this sample code to learn how to detect the absence of Wi-Fi and Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) services so your application knows when it's necessary to produce a network error alert.

Your users will appreciate knowing when an application has no network access — and missing "network alerts" is the third most common reason for applications being returned to developers for modification.

Read more app submission tips

Keep Your iTunes Connect User Information Current

When you assign roles to people on your development team or company in iTunes Connect, you are providing them with access to valuable information. Depending on the role you've assigned them (i.e., Admin, Technical, or Finance), these users can view and manage details about your applications or view your revenue and sales history. So if a member of your development team or company leaves, it’s important to remove or change their access in iTunes Connect. You can make changes to user roles in iTunes Connect at anytime by visiting the Manage Users module and making the appropriate changes.

To learn more about user roles in iTunes Connect, view the Manage Users section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.

Apple Developer Forums Offer New Features

New features and functionality have been added to the Apple Developer Forums. The Forums now feature improved performance for faster browsing and a new rating system that makes it easier to find the answers that other developers find most helpful. Log in to the Apple Developer Forums and start your discussions today.

Now Accepting iPad Apps

Submit your iPad app now for an initial review by the App Review Team and receive feedback on its readiness for the grand opening of the iPad App Store.

Visit the App Store Resource Center for important details including screen shot dimensions, how to target universal applications, and what to expect during the initial review.

Videos from iPhone Tech Talks 2009 Now Available

iPhone Developer Program members now have access to videos from the iPhone Tech Talks 2009. Watch these videos to learn advanced techniques to enhance the capability, functionality, and usability of your iPhone apps. Apple’s Technology Evangelists take you deep into coding and design techniques so that you can take your apps to the next level.

Exciting News about the New Mac Developer Program

We recently announced the new Mac Developer Program which offers technical resources, support, access to pre-release software, developer forums and more, for just $99 per year.

You Can Now Schedule Price Changes for Your App

A great new feature in iTunes Connect now allows you to schedule changes to the price of your app, including In App Purchase items. This feature is designed so you can set a single price change or consecutive price changes all in advance.

Log in to iTunes Connect and check out this new feature located in the Pricing tab under the Edit Application section.

Getting Help with iTunes Connect

The iTunes Connect Contact Us module offers you answers to a range of questions, including Managing Your Apps, Upload Error Help, App Submission, Using iTunes Connect, Managing Users, and much more. You can often find what you want to know right away by starting with the Contact Us system. If you still need to contact iTunes Connect Support after using the Contact Us system, make sure we have all the information we need to communicate with you, including your App Name, Apple ID, and Team ID, so that we can route your request in the most efficient and effective manner.

New Countries Added to the App Store

You can now distribute your apps to more customers with the addition of App Store support in Armenia, Botswana, Bulgaria, Jordan, Kenya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, Tunisia, and Uganda. Log in to iTunes Connect to view and update the countries where your applications are available.

App Store Tip: Delivering Video to Your iPhone App

HTTP Live Streaming provides a state-of-the-art standards-based solution for streaming video over wireless networks. A key benefit of HTTP Live Streaming is the ability to dynamically adjust to varying network bandwidth conditions. It can store multiple video clips of different quality on a server, and then deliver the one that matches what the customer is capable of viewing on the network they are
currently accessing.

Your application must use the HTTP Live Streaming protocol if it uses the cellular network to deliver video for any stream with a duration of 10 minutes or more. In addition, applications using HTTP Live Streaming over the cellular network must include a low quality stream of no more than 64 Kbps for your app to resort to when network conditions demand it.

To learn more about using HTTP Streaming, read HTTP Live Streaming Overview in the iPhone Reference Library.

Read more app submission tips

App Store Tip: Specify the Devices Your App Runs on Using the Info.plist File

The App Store requires that you provide metadata about your application before submitting it. While most of this metadata is specified using the iPhone Developer Program Portal, the process for selecting device-related dependencies in iTunes Connect is no longer available. Instead, if your app relies on features that are specific to a device, such as the compass on iPhone 3GS, add the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key to your app's Info.plist file to indicate the specific hardware feature required.

The UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in your app's Info.plist file tells iPhone OS that your app can only be launched on a device with specific features and provides the App Store with a list of device requirements so users don’t download applications that they cannot run.

To learn more about assigning required capabilities for your apps, read the Device Support section of the iPhone Applications Programming Guide.

Read more app submission tips

App Store Tip: Enhance Your App with Core Location

The Core Location framework allows you to build applications which know where your users are and can deliver information based on their location, such as local weather, nearby restaurants, ATMs, and other location-based information.

If you build your application with features based on a user's location, make sure these features provide beneficial information. If your app uses location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver targeted ads based on a user's location, your app will be returned to you by the App Store Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App Store.

You can learn more about using Core Location by reading the CLLocationManager Class Reference and downloading the LocateMe sample code available in the iPhone OS Reference Library.

Read more app submission tips

Start Developing iPad Apps Today

iPhone Developer Program Members can start developing the next generation of innovative applications for iPad with iPhone SDK 3.2 beta, now available in the iPhone Dev Center.

The iPhone Dev Center also provides members with additional resources including the iPad Programming Guide, iPad Human Interface Guidelines, Preparing Universal Applications, and sample code.

Reminder: Use Keywords to Increase the Visibility of Your Apps

Keywords are an essential part of promoting your apps on the App Store. Apps that do not have keywords assigned to them are only searchable by app title. By adding or editing related keywords the next time you submit a new binary you can reach a wider audience and create greater discoverability of your app.

You can learn more about using keywords by reading the App Store Quick Reference: Assigning Keywords For Your App.

Drive Customers Directly to Your App on the App Store with iTunes Links

With iTunes links you can provide your customers with an easy way to access your apps on the App Store directly from your website or marketing campaigns. Creating an iTunes link is simple and can be made to direct customers to either a single app, all your apps, or to a specific app with your company name specified.

• To send customers to a specific application:
  http://itunes.com/apps/appname
• To send customers to a list of apps you have on the App Store:
  http://itunes.com/apps/developername
• To send customers to a specific app with your company name included in the URL:
  http://itunes.com/apps/developername/appname

For more details on creating iTunes links, read: Creating easy-to-read links to the App Store for your applications and company.

New App Status Indicators Added to Help Track Binaries Submitted in iTunes Connect

We've added two new status indicators to iTunes Connect: "Upload Received" and "Invalid Binary." These new statuses give you a more precise indication of the state of your app when you submit your binary through Application Loader.

Upload Received means that your binary has been received through Application Loader but has not yet completed processing into the
iTunes system.

Invalid Binary means that your binary has been received through Application Loader but did not meet the requirements of iTunes Connect.

For more information, refer to the App Store Resource Center, App Store Approval Process section.

New App Search Capability in iTunes Connect

The Manage Your Applications module in iTunes Connect has been enhanced to assist you in quickly finding your apps. When you select the Manage Your Application module, you'll find a summary of your last 10 modified apps and a search area that allows you to look up your other apps by name, Apple ID, or status. This will allow you to easily locate your apps by state, such as Ready for Sale or In Review.

In addition, the application detail view provides you with the ability to preview your app in the App Store and provides you with any Crash Reports for your application.

Log in to iTunes Connect to view these new enhancements.

You Can Now Update Your Banking Information in iTunes Connect

iTunes Connect users with the Admin or Finance roles can now make changes to the banking information that is used to deposit App Store payments. This means that banking updates will now be processed within 24 hours after you have submitted them. To make changes, log in to iTunes Connect and click on the Contracts, Tax and Banking Information module.

HTTP Live Stream Technology Required for Streaming Video

An innovative feature of iPhone OS 3.0 is support for HTTP Live Streaming technology. One of the great benefits this technology delivers is the ability to dynamically adjust to varying network bandwidth conditions. It lets you store multiple video clips of different quality on the server, and then deliver the one that matches what the requesting customer is capable of viewing given the network they have access to. Use of it is now required for all applications which deliver streaming video. You must include a low quality stream of no more than 64 Kbps for your app to resort to when network conditions demand it, along with the higher quality streams you want to deliver to your customers when the network can support it.

See the HTTP Live Streaming Overview in the iPhone Reference Library for details.

Additional Language Support Now Available in
iTunes Connect

With over 50 million users of iPhone and iPod touch in 81 countries around the world, it's more important than ever to make your app available in a user's language of choice. You can, and should, create localized versions of your app for each market you sell to. In iTunes Connect, you can customize your app's metadata, keywords and screenshots for each localized version.

We've expanded the list of languages available for localizing your app metadata, adding the following languages (listed along with the matching App Store territory):

• Brazilian Portuguese: Brazil App Store
• Korean: Korea App Store
• Portuguese: Portugal App Store
• Russian: Russia App Store
• Simplified Chinese: China App Store
• Swedish: Sweden App Store
  
  

If you have localized your apps, be sure to update the metadata language information for each of your localized versions whenever you update an app. In iTunes Connect, select Edit Application and click on the Localization tab; select the language from the pull-down menu.

iPhone Developer News and Announcements Now Available via RSS

You can now subscribe to a new RSS feed that will allow you to instantly receive updates to the iPhone Developer News and Announcements. Get the latest information on a wide range of topics including tips on submitting apps to the App Store, current turnaround time for app review, program updates, development and testing techniques, and much more. Subscribe now.

iTunes Connect Unavailable December 23 - 28, 2009

iTunes Connect, the tool you use to manage your applications and access your reports, will be unavailable from December 23 through December 28, 2009.

Access to iTunes Connect will resume December 29, 2009.

Adding iPhone OS 3.x Features to Your iPhone OS 2.x-compatible Apps

You can add great new iPhone OS 3.x features to your application — In App Purchase, Push Notifications or the mail compose view — while maintaining compatibility with iPhone OS 2.x.

By using "weak linking" in your Xcode project, you can include frameworks you'll need for the newer features, and check for API availability when your application is running. This technique provides you with the broadest possible audience for your application. You can offer a game that runs great on iPhone OS 2.x, while adding the ability to buy new levels for users on iPhone OS 3.x. Or have a note-taking app that sends notes via the built-in Mail client on iPhone 2.x, and uses the Mail Composer Window within your application when it's running on iPhone 3.x. Just be sure to clearly identify any version-specific features of your app in your marketing description.

The MailComposer sample code demonstrates this technique of targeting older OS versions while building with newly released APIs, using the mail compose view (from the MessageUI framework) as an example.

For more information on weak linking in Xcode, see the SDK Compatibility Guide.

Updated iTunes Connect Developer Guide Now Posted

A revised version of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 5.2) is now available. See the new version for information on features that have been added to iTunes Connect, including new status tracking functionality and status update email notification.

A Japanese translation of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide (version 5.0) is now also available from the Manage Your Applications section of iTunes Connect.

New Ways to Track Your App during the
Approval Process

Exciting new features have been added to iTunes Connect to help you track your app during the approval process.

“Waiting for Review” status added

A new status called Waiting for Review has been added and will appear after your binary has been uploaded. This status means that your app has been added to the app review queue but has not yet begun the review process.

Receive notifications automatically

You can now opt-in to receive email notifications alerting you each time the status of your app changes. Visit the App Store Resource Center to learn how you can choose to receive these notifications.

View a complete history

As of November 9, 2009 all status changes will be logged in “Status History” which will appear with your app details in the Manage Your Applications section. This new feature allows you to see a complete history of the changes in status made to your app.

Customers Can Now See When Your App was Updated on the
App Store

Customers can now see the date your app was updated which allows them to view when the most recent version of your app was posted. The “Released” date on your app's product page will change to “Updated” once your update has been posted.

App Store Tip: Providing Additional Info for the App Review Process

If your application requires specific settings, user registrations or account information prior to submission to the App Store, be sure to include that info in the field "Demo Account - Full Access" on iTunes Connect. This is a text field visible only to the App Review team, so the information entered in that field will not be viewable on iTunes to the general public. You can also include general instructions or other relevant information about your application which you think would be useful for the review process.

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Managing Your Registered Devices List

As a member of the iPhone Developer Program you are assigned 100 device "slots," allowing you to add up to 100 devices in the iPhone Program Portal in a membership year. Adding a device registers it to be used for developing and testing apps, or for sharing your app with other users via Ad Hoc Distribution. If you reach the 100-device limit and wish to add more, you can remove devices you are no longer using when your new membership year begins. At that time, you can remove as many devices as you like and then recycle those slots for new devices.

The ability to recycle slots is only available from the start of a membership year until the time you add your first new device, so be certain to remove all of the devices you no longer require before adding any new ones. Once you've added a new device, you will be unable to recycle additional device slots until your next membership year begins. If you renew your program before your expiration date, the recycling period does not start until your membership anniversary date. If you renew your program after expiration, the recycling period starts immediately.

Helpful Tips for Using In App Purchase In Free Apps

You can now take advantage of In App Purchasing capability from within free applications, including free applications you’re already offering as well as new ones you may create. With In App Purchase in your free apps you can sell content, subscriptions, and digital services.

Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind as you design your app:

• Deliver only digital goods or services within your app. You may not use In App Purchase to sell real-world goods and services.
• Make your In App Purchase items available to all of the devices registered to a user. (The one exception to this is consumable items—e.g., virtual poker chips, in-game ammunition—that are used up or disappear after use.)
• Be certain that the items you offer for purchase do not contain, or relate to, pornography, hate speech, defamation, or gambling (simulated gambling is acceptable).
• Make sure that your free app is an actual application, not merely a demo advertisement. It needs to do something useful, interesting or entertaining.
• Don’t set time limits on any of the functionality of your app, either for run times or life times. Applications that only run for a set number of minutes per session, or that expire altogether after some period of time, don’t recruit customers so much as leave a bad taste in their mouths.

If you’ve never offered a paid app, you’ll need to start by requesting a Paid Applications Agreement and setting up your banking and tax forms in iTunes Connect. Visit the Prepare for App Submission page on the App Store Resource Center for more details.

For more information, see the iTunes Connect Developer Guide, the In App Purchase Programming Guide and Getting Started with In App Purchase.

App Store Tip: The Importance of App Name and Icon Consistency

It’s important when customers look for your app on their devices that they immediately recognize its icon and name, just as they appeared when the user downloaded your app from the store.

There are various creative ways to design your App Store icon so that it is similar to the icon that will be displayed on a user’s device—one technique for instance is to present a close-up of a specific icon section—but whatever approach you take, make sure the small icon retains a very similar look to the large one.

Similarly, you should create a name for your app that will be consistent with what customers see on the App Store and how it appears on their device. If your app’s name in iTunes Connect is, for instance, “Coraline’s Creative Cajun Cooking,” good choices for short names for devices might be “CreativeCajun,” or “CajunCooking” or “Coraline’s,” which directly evoke the long name, but not “Good Eats,” “Louisiana,” or “Comfort Food,” which do not.

The golden rule is simply that an end user should instantly associate the name and large icon in the iTunes App Store with the name and app icon on their devices.

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Test Your App on Both iPhone and iPod touch

Even if your application is not designed to use iPhone-specific features like the camera, GPS, or Compass, when it runs on an iPhone it can encounter a number of unique situations. For instance, if a user accepts an incoming phone call while using your application, your application will quit. It must be prepared to handle this behavior. The right thing is to restore the user's state when they relaunch the application.

Additionally, if a user accepts an incoming phone call and then launches your application, the status bar will be taller than usual. Make sure your views respond correctly to this taller status bar. And if your application deals with audio, it must be prepared to handle the audio interruption caused by a phone call. Finally, because iPhone has more capabilities than iPod touch, it typically has less memory available for you to use, making it possible for applications to work properly on an iPod touch but run out of memory on an iPhone.

Learn more about these situations and how to handle them in the iPhone Application Programming Guide and the Audio Session Programming Guide.

In App Purchase Now Available for Free Apps

In App Purchase is being rapidly adopted by developers in their paid apps. Now you can use In App Purchase in your free apps to sell content, subscriptions, and digital services.

You can also simplify your development by creating a single version of your app that uses In App Purchase to unlock additional functionality, eliminating the need to create Lite versions of your app. Using In App Purchase in your app can also help combat some of the problems of software piracy by allowing you to verify In App Purchases.

Visit the App Store Resource Center for more details about how you can add In App Purchases to your free apps.

App Store Tip: The Art of Using Keywords Successfully

Improper use of keywords is the fourth most common reason for App Store rejections. When you spend the time to come up with well thought out keywords for the audience you’re trying to reach, it increases the likelihood they will find your app on the App Store.

The most common rejections are for keywords which are offensive, objectionable words or phrases; using trademarks, company or product names, unauthorized use of celebrity names and/or likenesses; and irrelevant keywords (i.e., keywords not pertaining to the submitted application). Some examples:

• Suitable keywords: Puzzle, solving, game
  These keywords are directly applicable to the description of your application and its functionality.
• Unsuitable keywords: Racing, Fart, Bejeweled, EA
  These are all grounds for rejection as Racing and Fart are irrelevant and Bejeweled and EA are registered trademarks.

• Suitable keywords: Racing, drive fast, speed, NOS
  These keywords provide a description of the user experience and are related to your application’s features.
• Unsuitable keywords: Free, Nascar, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  Using these keywords will cause your app to be rejected. The application is not free, Nascar is a registered trademark, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a well-known public figure. Without explicit rights from public figures you cannot use their names or likenesses.

• Suitable keywords: Learn, master, study, lessons, Spanish, quick reference, Spain, español, travel, 3.1
  These keywords connect with interested searchers’ likely frame of mind, 3.1 is appropriate since it’s the minimum iPhone OS version.
• Unsuitable keywords: Date, Rosetta Stone, Dutch, French, 3.0, 2.2
  Rosetta Stone is a registered trademark, dating has nothing to do with the application, and it does not teach Dutch or French. Since the minimum OS version of this apps is 3.1, users would not be able to install it if they are running iPhone OS 3.0 or earlier.
  

You can learn more by reading the App Store Quick Reference: Assigning Keywords For Your App

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Run the Xcode Static Analyzer to Find Hidden Bugs

When your application crashes, you know you have to fix it before submitting to the App Store. The problem is that you can't test every possible situation that could reveal bugs in your code. With Xcode 3.2 for Snow Leopard, there is a new feature called static analysis that can do exactly that—look for bugs in virtually every possible code path. Simply choose the "Build and Analyze" menu item and Xcode finds memory management issues, potential logic errors, and other common coding mistakes. Click on any reported error and Xcode walks you through the steps that reveal the bug. Xcode helps you find and fix bugs before your users ever see them.

You can learn more by reading Static Analysis in Xcode.

Managing App info for Localized Versions of
your Apps

When you have localizations set for your app, you must manage some app information individually for each localized version. In iTunes Connect, you can choose to add additional languages and supply your application metadata, keywords, and screenshots, but this content is not updated automatically when you update your default language content.

See the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for information about which iTunes stores correspond to which localizations, and which information in your app can be localized.

A Special Thanks to the iPhone Developer Community

Today, we announced that more than two billion apps have been downloaded from the App Store.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, the iPhone developer community, as we mark this milestone. Your creativity and innovation have been instrumental in helping us to create a mobile experience that is unparalleled in the industry.

Setting Up an In App Purchase Test User in
iTunes Connect

If your application takes advantage of In App Purchase, you must set up an in app purchase test user in iTunes Connect. To do so, log in, access the Manage Users module, select the In App Purchase Test User section, then follow these steps:

• Enter an email address for the test account that's not associated with any other Apple account. (You'll use this email address and password to confirm a purchase during your testing).
• Before you test, go to the Store settings (in the Settings App) on your device and touch Sign Out to prevent a non-test account from automatically being used during testing. (IMPORTANT: Do not enter your test account information in the Store settings panel. Doing so could invalidate your test account.)
• Connect your device to your development workstation and select it as the Active SDK. (The Store Kit APIs are not available when testing in the iPhone Simulator.) When your application requests a payment, confirm, and select Use Existing Account to enter your test account username and password to complete the test. No financial transaction takes place as no credit card number was involved, but a complete transaction is generated which includes a receipt.

Please note, each in app purchase test user can only be tied to one iTunes Store territory, and test user accounts must be new, unique Apple accounts. You cannot reuse existing Apple accounts to set up an in app purchase test user account.

You can find more details on setting up in app purchase test users by going to page 48 of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide. For details on designing your app to use In App Purchase, read the In App Purchase programming guide.

App Store Tip: How To Avoid Having Your App Rejected for Core Functionality Issues and Crashing

The two most common reasons for application rejection are issues with core functionality and crashing. Core functionality encompasses the belief that customers rightfully expect all the features described in the marketing text and release notes to work as described, and likewise that all the buttons and menu items within the application will be fully functional (i.e., no grayed out buttons or notifications that a feature will be implemented later). Before you submit your app for approval, make sure that every aspect of your application is fully functional and that the marketing text and release notes correspond to the end user experience.

Also, make sure you thoroughly test your application on iPhone and iPod touch in addition to the iPhone Simulator. A large percentage of applications are rejected due to various types of crashes, including crashes on launch, which would have been found and dealt with if they'd been tested on an actual device. Don't skip that step in the development process.
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Introducing the App Store Resource Center

We are pleased to introduce the App Store Resource Center, a single destination where you can find everything from how to prepare for submitting your app to managing your app once it been posted to the App Store.

The App Store Resource Center provides details on how to get started with iTunes Connect, including setting up your account, contract and banking information, what you’ll need to have prepared before you submit your binary, and quick reference guides on assigning a rating to your app and using keywords. You’ll learn what you can do to ensure your app is ready for the approval process and what to expect during review. You’ll also find guidance on managing your app once it’s on the App Store including app editing information, submitting updates for your app, and where you can find and leverage sales and marketing resources.

Log in and visit the App Store Resource Center today.

App Store Tip: A Word About the "Easter Egg" Policy

"Easter Eggs," little programs hidden inside other programs, have long been part of the programming universe, most often as jokes or ways to sign otherwise uncredited work for those able to find them. If you want to add an innocuous Easter Egg to your application for that purpose, just use the Demo Account Field to let the review team know the unlocking steps. Apple considers this information confidential and will not reveal those steps or their existence.

On the other hand, not telling the review team about an Easter Egg in your code in order to circumvent the review process is not allowed. When its existence becomes known, as it inevitably will, our first step will be to remove the offending application from the App Store.
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App Store Tip: Just Right "Lite"

Using a "Lite" version to show how it feels to use what you make and what kinds of things your app can do is definitely a good way to find customers who will pay for the full version of your application. But store shoppers tell us it only works if you follow a few simple rules:

• Make sure the functionality you decide to include is complete. Battles that require weapons only available in the full version, for instance, are annoying and irritating instead of enticing.
• Don't set time limits on your "Lite" version, either for run times or life times. Applications that will only run for a set number of minutes per session, or that expire altogether after some period of time, don't recruit customers so much as leave a bad taste in their mouths.
• Only display the UI for what your "Lite" version will do. Grayed out menu commands, "more track/car choices" you can see but not select, etc. makes your "Lite" version feel more like a commercial than a product, and an annoying and ineffective one at that.
• Do include information about your full application, including an option to buy, in either your application's About section or on the splash screen. Just make sure the option to continue using the "Lite" version is there as well. A good impression lasts forever.

It's important to follow these simple rules not only to create a better user experience, but also because your app will be returned to you by the App Review Team for modification if it is found to have time limits, incomplete functionality, or disabled functionality.
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New App Store Features Announced

With the release of iPhone OS 3.1, App Store customers now have new views into what's available on the App Store.

• Genius Recommendations for Apps: Available in the Featured section, customers can now receive recommendations on apps based on the apps they’ve already downloaded.
• Top Grossing: The Top 25 section now includes a Top Grossing category which provides users with a new way to find popular paid apps.
• App Store Essentials: Customers can explore themed collections of the best applications on the App Store with App Store Essentials located in the What’s Hot section. The first two collections there are Go Green and Social Networking.

New iTunes Connect Developer Guide now available

The iTunes Connect Developer Guide has been updated to include information on keywords, details on how and when you can change the name of your app, In App purchase test user setup and usage in a developer sandbox environment, updates to changing screen shot images, application metadata setup, and more. Log in to iTunes Connect and download the new Developer Guide from the link at the bottom of the home page.

Using Ad Hoc Distribution for Beta Testing

Ad Hoc Distribution lets you beta test your application with colleagues, potential customers, and helpful friends before you submit it for sale. It turns out your mother was right, first impressions do matter, as do first reactions in the App Store. The way to make sure your app doesn't harbor unexpected behavior issues, irritating UI problems and bugs you haven't fixed is to test it, really test it, under real world conditions. Ad Hoc Distribution lets you provide your application to 100 test users for their feedback and crash reports so you can find problems and fix them before you release it to the world.

To learn how to set up Ad Hoc Distribution, view the Distribution Chapter of the iPhone Developer Program Portal User Guide and see Crash Reporting for iPhone OS Applications to learn how to process and interpret crash logs.

Assigning Keywords For Your App

Customers who use search to find applications on the App Store will now see results based on your designated keywords. The use of keywords replaces search results based on terms found in your marketing description. This new method provides customers with more targeted results and, with the proper use of keywords, greater discoverability of your application.

You can facilitate a better search experience for customers and create better discoverability of your application by assigning keywords that are specific to your application’s features, functionality, or user experience. Carefully choosing your keywords is also important because they’ll be reviewed during the app review process. If you misuse keywords, your application may be rejected and you will be asked to edit your keywords before you can resubmit your application for review. In addition, once you’ve assigned your keywords you can only change them when submitting an application update or if your application is in the Rejected or Developer Rejected state.

You can find more details about assigning keywords by reading App Store Quick Reference: Assigning Keywords For Your App.

App Store Tip: Changing the Status of Your App -
“Developer Rejected” and “Developer Removed From Sale”

Once you have submitted your binary, iTunes Connect allows you to manage and edit many aspects of your application. However, it’s important to understand the impact making changes has on your application, depending on its state.

Developer Rejected

If you need to submit a new binary for your application prior to it being reviewed by the App Store Review Team, you can change the status of your application to Developer Rejected. To do so, log in to iTunes Connect, click on the Manage Your Applications module, then click the Reject Binary button from the application summary view.

Keep in mind that changing the status of your application to Developer Rejected while it is in the review process removes your application from the review queue. The review process will start again from the beginning once you resubmit your binary.

Developer Removed From Sale

If you want to remove your application from sale, log in to iTunes Connect, click on the Manage Your Applications module, then click the Remove From Sale button from the application summary view.

When you change the status of your application to Developer Remove From Sale, you remove the entire application from sale, not just the version that was live when you selected Remove From Sale. If you have an update that is approved, the status of the application will still be in the Developer Removed from Sale state.

Once you are ready to re-post your application for sale on the App Store, you can follow step-by-step instructions available in the Manage Your Applications FAQ section in iTunes Connect.
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Setting up Test Accounts for Testing In App Purchase

Before testing In App Purchase in your application, you need to create an In App Test User in iTunes Connect—you should not use other accounts as doing so will result in prompts to enter your credit card number and other information.

Here is how to properly set up your test user for testing In App Purchase:

• Set up a test user account by selecting In App Purchase Test User in the Manage Users module of iTunes Connect. Be sure to create the test account with an email address that is not associated with any other Apple account. You'll enter this test user ID and Password during your testing when prompted by the StoreKit framework to confirm a purchase.
• Be sure to clear any account information stored on your test device by tapping the Sign Out button in the Store settings in the Settings application (this prevents a non-test account from automatically being used when testing).
  
  NOTE: Do not enter your test account information in the Store settings panel.
• To test your In App functionality against the In App Purchase sandbox, connect your device to your development workstation then choose iPhone Device as the Active SDK—the StoreKit APIs are not available in the iPhone simulator.
• When your app requests a payment via the StoreKit API, you'll be prompted to confirm the purchase then prompted again with a Sign In panel. Select Use Existing Account then enter your sandbox test account email address and password to complete the purchase test.

Seven Qualities of Successful iPhone Apps

Creating a basic iPhone app is easy. However, when you consider the following attributes in designing a new app, or enhancing an existing app, you can increase its appeal, create a more engaging user experience, and make your app stand out from the competition:

• Delightful. These apps are appealing because they have an attractive design, make excellent use of colors and audio, they're simple to use and work as expected, they keep you involved, and they keep you coming back again and again.
• Innovative. Innovative apps are those which are fresh, new, and bring to market concepts that have not been done before, or in a new way not thought of before. These apps inspire users by making the complicated easy and by fundamentally changing the way they get things done.
• Well Designed. Well designed apps deliver high quality visual design and demonstrate attention-to-detail. These apps are easy to use, well-organized, uncluttered, simple, efficient, intuitive, and stable.
• Integrated. Add rich functionality and new capabilities to your app by incorporating iPhone technologies into your app (i.e., location services, accelerometer, camera, etc.), rather than writing your own versions of these frameworks. iPhone SDK provides you with a wide range of frameworks to use which will save you time, reduce code complexity, and improve the stability and performance when you use them as they are intended.
• Optimized. Optimized applications squeeze every ounce of performance out of the system and take maximum advantage of everything iPhone OS offers, including alternate input methods and interaction models.
• Connected. iPhone is always on and always connected. Connected apps share data and interact well with other native applications, allow use of on-board photos and contacts, and reach out to the internet or complementary desktop applications for valuable data and services.
• Localized. With iPhone available in more than 80 countries, you can reach a vast customer base, differentiate yourself, and gain a major competitive advantage by localizing your app. If you can also localize your App Store metadata, you can further attract customers from a range of countries and languages.

Watch Ingredients of Great iPhone Apps, presented during the iPhone Tech Talk World Tour, through ADC on iTunes for more details and examples of these characteristics.

App Attributes that Can be Changed without Submitting a New Binary

Once your app is on the App Store, you can edit certain attributes associated with your app without going through the review process. To edit attributes associated with your app, go to the Manage Your Applications page in iTunes Connect and click Edit Information. Within this section, you can modify the following:

• Large app icon and screenshots
• Application description
• Copyright
• Application URL, support URL and support email address
• Category

Editing Attributes While You Have an Update in Review.
Before you make changes to attributes that are associated with an existing app, it's important to consider the impact it will have on your app if you have an update that is in review:

• Availability date. If you change your app's Availability Date to a date in the future while you have an update to your app in review, your app will be removed from the App Store until the new date approaches. This is because the availability date is not tied to a version; the availability date applies to the application as a whole.
• Price tier. If you edit your price tier for a version of your app that is in review, the price change will be applied to your currently live app, because price tier is not tied to a version.

In all cases where you are updating attributes, ensure you carefully review the changes you make as they will not be reviewed by Apple. Your updates will be reflected within 24 hours after they are submitted.

New “Available on the App Store” Artwork
Now Available

Make sure your customers know where to find your application with the “Available on the App Store” artwork. Developers enrolled in the iPhone Developer Program can take advantage of badges and iPhone and iPod touch images to promote the availability of their application on the App Store.

A new version of the “Available on the App Store” artwork is now available and can be downloaded from the Marketing Resources for iPhone Developers page. In addition, you will find localized versions of the “Available on the App Store” artwork in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Make sure download and review the App Marketing and Identity Guidelines for Developers to ensure you use all artwork correctly.

App Store Tip: Naming Your App

The name you select for your app is perhaps one of the most important aspects to marketing your app and can distinguish your app on the App Store. Here are a few things to keep in mind when naming your app or changing the name of your app.

• Creating a Memorable App Name. A short, concise, and memorable name will leave an impression on potential customers. Let your app name draw attention and use the marketing description to provide the features. Be sure the name you submit in iTunes Connect matches the name within your app. Inconsistent naming of your app can lead to customer confusion and could affect user experience and the quality of reviews submitted for your app.
• Changing the Name of Your App. You can change the name of your existing app only when submitting an update of your app binary. If you submit an app name which is already in use within the same geography in which your app is sold, you will be prompted to enter another name.

Read more app submission tips

App Store Tip: Showcase Your App with Engaging Screen Shots

Engaging screen shots can make a significant influence on a user’s perception of your app. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities, graphics, and usability of your app. When creating screen shots to be posted to the App Store, follow these general guidelines:

• Make sure the content is legible and appropriate.
• Consider cultural sensibilities and restrictions.
• Take screen shots on the target device (not the Simulator). To do this, hold down the Power button and press the Home button. The screen shot is saved to Camera Roll.
• Always remove the status bar from screen shots.
• Donʼt forget to localize screen shots. Set the language for iPhone before taking screen shots by going to Settings » General » International » Language.

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Set up Your Contracts, Tax, and Banking Information Early in the Process

If you are new to the iPhone Developer Program and plan to distribute applications on the App Store, the Contracts, Tax and Banking Information module in iTunes Connect should be one of your first stops. The Contracts, Tax and Banking Information module is where you can set up all of your important and necessary information to distribute on the App Store. By having the applicable contracts, tax and banking information set up now, you can save time when you are ready to submit your app for distribution.

App Store Tip: Assign the Correct Type for Your In App Catalog Item

When creating an in app catalog item ensure that you select the correct type: consumables, non-consumables, or subscription. You won’t be able to change this setting once your in app purchase has been created. You can learn more about In App purchase by reading the Getting Started with In App Purchase on iPhone OS 3.0. For step-by-step instructions on In App purchase creation within iTunes Connect, read the In App Purchases section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.
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App Store Tip: Creating App Icons for the Home Screen and App Store

You have the ability to provide several pieces of artwork that will be visible to customers visiting the App Store. The artwork for the small icon which will be displayed on a user's Home Screen should be similar, if not identical, to the artwork for the large icon that will represent your app on the App Store. If the artwork for these icons are significantly different, your users may get confused. You can find details on preparing your application artwork in the iPhone Developer Program Portal User Guide.
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Testing on the iPhone Simulator vs. Testing on iPhone or iPod touch

With the iPhone Simulator, you can quickly prototype your ideas, debug memory leaks, simulate memory warnings, and get a good feel for how your app is going to work. However, since the iPhone Simulator simulates APIs, not hardware, the iPhone Simulator is not a replacement for testing on an actual device.

When you run your application in the iPhone Simulator, you're running a Mac OS X, 32-bit, Intel-architecture application, and it's running at the native speed of your Mac. Conversely, your iPhone has features your Mac doesn't—like GPS and an accelerometer—and the iPhone Simulator might provide different information from what you'd get on a device (for example, Core Location always returns a location in Cupertino, CA). In addition, if you only test on the iPhone Simulator, you might not get the true behavior of your application, such as video frame rate, memory capacity, network access and access to the camera.

App Store Tip: Be Sure to Provide Network Error Messages

If your application connects to the network, it's important that you provide the appropriate error messages when the network is not present. See the Reachability iPhone program sample which demonstrates the use of the System Configuration Reachability API to detect the absence of WiFi and Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) services, so that you can notify your users that a network connection is not available. Your application can then take appropriate action at the first point where network services are required.
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App Store Tip: Do Not Include Pricing Information in Your Marketing or Icon

If you intend to market your application internationally, do not include pricing information in your application name, marketing text, or icon, as it can lead to user confusion. Let the App Store list the price of your application, as it automatically displays the appropriate price for each selected region.
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Get Your App on iPhone with the Development Provisioning Assistant

When your app is ready for testing on iPhone or iPod touch, you can use the Provisioning Assistant to create and install a Provisioning Profile and iPhone Development Certificate, allowing you to install your application on your test device. Team Admins can find the Provisioning Assistant on the Overview section in the iPhone Developer Program Portal.

App Store Tip: Test Your App on iPhone or iPod touch

Once your app is ready, make sure to put it through a rigorous testing process to ensure functionality, behavior, and usability are exactly as you expect. The majority of our rejections come from crashing applications or functionality that just doesn’t work. Make sure you test your application directly on iPhone and/or iPod touch. The iPhone Simulator may be an incredible tool during your development, however nothing beats the real hardware for final testing.
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App Store Tip: Make Sure You Have the Rights to Your Content

Ensure that you have the rights to all content used within you app, including code, icons, images, music, and the overall concept. If your content is questionable we will require proof of ownership.
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Keywords for App Store Search

Customers can now search for apps in the App Store by entering designated keywords. Log in to iTunes Connect and proceed to the Overview section for each of your applications. You will find a keywords text field. Enter the appropriate keywords for your applications on iTunes Connect today to ensure your app appears when certain keywords are entered. When you assign your keywords you must separate your keywords by commas and you are limited to 100 characters.

Review your keywords carefully before submitting them as you will only be able to edit them in the following scenarios:

• You are uploading a new binary for your application.
• Your application has been rejected by Apple and is in the “Rejected” state in iTunes Connect.
• You have rejected your own application and it is in the “Developer Rejected” state in iTunes Connect.

Visit the Manage your Applications section of the iTunes Connect FAQ for more details. Log in.

Editing Your App Name and Changing Your App Rating

Once you have submitted your app for review, you will only be able to edit your application’s Name and its Ratings in the following scenarios:

• You are uploading a new binary for your application.
• Your application has been rejected by Apple and is in the “Rejected” state in iTunes Connect.
• You have rejected your own application and it is in the “Developer Rejected” state in iTunes Connect.

Please see the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more information on editing your Application Name and Application Ratings.

Assigning a Rating for Your App

With iPhone OS 3.0, Parental Control allows iPhone and iPod touch customers to restrict the use of applications based on ratings. All applications in the App Store are required to have an assigned rating. If your application is not rated you will need to update your application in iTunes Connect. Any application submitted to the App Store that has not been rated will automatically be marked as ‘Not Yet Rated’ and be given the equivalent of a 17+ rating until you provide your own rating.

You can find more details and information about Parental Controls by reading Getting Started with Parental Control in iPhone OS 3.0