iPhone: app release date vs. acceptance date

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Level 1

21 points

iPhone: app release date vs. acceptance date

There has been a lot of consternation in this group about the fact that the application's "release date" is the date it is sent to Apple, and not the date it is formally pushed to the store by Apple, which can be many days later. This can put an app squarely on page 12 at launch, when it should actually be displayed on page one.

"I have it on good authority" that they are aware of these problems. It is a known bug that is being worked on. Apparently the database uses the same field for an application's release date as it does for the publication date of musical tracks. For music that isn't critical to placement, but it is for applications as they now know.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 29, 2009 4:38 PM

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Answer 1

K T

Level 7

23,865 points

Apr 29, 2009 6:09 PM in response to Proxima

As has been noted here recently, the developer has the (undocumented) opportunity to update the 'release date' to the date the app becomes available.

Example:
- 4.20: Staged app...'Waiting For Upload' (orange icon in portal), with release date set for 4.25.
- 4.24: Uploaded binary...everything in place - 'In Review' (orange icon) - no change yet to release date.
- 4.29: 'Ready For Sale' @ noon (green icon)...changed release date to 4.29 @ 12:05 in connect portal. 3pm, app listed as 'Released 4.29.2009' in app store, top of it's category listing.

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Answer 2

mrtvking

Level 1

0 points

May 5, 2009 10:58 AM in response to K T

This is a joke. My app was totally sabatoged by Apple. Once my app was approved I moved the launch date ahead so I could coordinate it with my PR effort. Then to my horror, Apple placed it into the sequence 5 days earlier, thus placing me on page 10.

So, my app was buried from the beginning and was never on the new releases front page. This has cost me a fortune and Apple provides no assistance whatsoever. No one at Apple Connect cares or has been willing to provide any service.

I'm shocked at how poorly Apple treats its developers. It is impossible to talk to a human or even exchange e-mail with a human.

Obviously, I'm not happy about what happened. But why would a company like Apple have such poor policies and practices?

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Answer 3

K T

Level 7

23,865 points

May 5, 2009 11:24 AM in response to mrtvking

My app was totally sabatoged by Apple.

Just because other people play the game better than you is no reason to blame Apple.

Suck it up and get back in there...

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Answer 4

Jun 16, 2009 6:57 PM in response to K T

Is Tuesday still the official release date for all new apps for the week? I didn't see the featured "New" or "What's Hot" change. What is the official day that Apple puts out new apps? Or, do they just put them up in the categories as they are approved? Thanks.

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Answer 5

K T

Level 7

23,865 points

Jun 16, 2009 7:03 PM in response to Climbrate

do they just put them up in the categories as they are approved?

Apps appear for sale according to the availability date specified by the agent when staging/uploading.

Otherwise, if you're looking for a method to the madness, you may be looking for some time 🙂

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Answer 6

Jul 13, 2009 1:21 AM in response to K T

Hi - please could you explain this a little clearer or provide a link to the thread where you say it was discussed?

Many thanks.

K T wrote:
As has been noted here recently, the developer has the (undocumented) opportunity to update the 'release date' to the date the app becomes available.

Example:
- 4.20: Staged app...'Waiting For Upload' (orange icon in portal), with release date set for 4.25.
- 4.24: Uploaded binary...everything in place - 'In Review' (orange icon) - no change yet to release date.
- 4.29: 'Ready For Sale' @ noon (green icon)...changed release date to 4.29 @ 12:05 in connect portal. 3pm, app listed as 'Released 4.29.2009' in app store, top of it's category listing.

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Answer 7

K T

Level 7

23,865 points

Jul 13, 2009 8:09 AM in response to James Closs

Clear to me may not be clear to you, but one more time for sport 🙂

• projected release date (PRD)
• release date (RD)
• approval date (AD)
• real soon thereafter/before release (RST/BR)

When a dev adds an app via ITC, a PRD can be specified. It has to be in the future, of course.

Let's say the PRD ends up being one week in the future beyond the AD...in which case the app sits in the store and will not be visible to the public until RD is reached.

ITS sends an email alerting to a review approval (AD), and if the dev so desires, they can go in RST/BR and reset the RD...to the same date as AD if they wish (juggling the RD depends on various factors, but in my view it is part of the 'marketing' plan surrounding each app).

Try it yourself w/ITC to gain a direct understanding and good luck w/your apps.

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Answer 8

Jul 13, 2009 8:46 AM in response to K T

Many thanks for that. I've just been burned on this release date issue and this will definitely help me out in the future.

You live and learn!

cheers

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Answer 9

Xartec

Level 1

0 points

Aug 20, 2009 9:25 AM in response to James Closs

Yeah you live and learn... learn programming, learn developing in ObjectiveC/XCode, and a whole bunch of other learn-worthy stuff, but do I really after all my hard work have to learn that the approval process/release date is 'ridiculous' and find out that because of that I'm basically screwed? Cause that's what it is, ridiculous. My game's release date is set to the submission date and not to the date it was actually released... a 13 days difference, meaning it ended up on page 12 on the first day and all my hard work has been pretty much for nothing.

What a great way to kill the euphoria of seeing "Ready for sale".

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