Links not launching iTunes U app on iOS 6 iPad

Question

Links not launching iTunes U app on iOS 6 iPad

Hi all.

Yesterday, I noticed that links to individual items in our iTunes U collections, e.g., https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ground-wars-personalized-communication/id389 607033?i=125867113&mt=2 no longer work on an iOS 6.0.1 iPad. (I've tried two different iPads.)

Previously, touching a link to iTunes U content in mobile Safari would directly launch the iTunes U app, go to the iTunes U Catalog, and show the collection, with the particular item highlighted in blue.

Yesterday, I noticed that the link takes you to the Podcasts app, and brings up a message saying "View in iTunes U --Open iTunes U to view and download from the iTunes U catalog". When you choose "Open iTunes U", nothing happens! You just stay in the Podcast app.

[If you click this link in a desktop browser, they correctly take you to the iTunes Preview of the collection in the browser.]

Even stranger.....if the URL is in a Tweet, and thus is shortened by Twitter's t.co link shortening service, it works (i.e., it will take you to the iTunes U app). It does *not* work, though, if you use bit.ly's link shortening service.

Strangest of all.....links *do* work on an iOS 6 iPhone! (I've tried 2 different iPhones).

Anybody else seeing this? Any idea what's wrong? Thanks.....k

iOS 6.0.1

Posted on Jan 15, 2013 7:18 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Pat j6

Level 1

0 points

Feb 2, 2013 6:55 PM in response to Kenny Freundlich

Attempted to launch Educational video in ITunes U. When video is selected, iTunes U app closes immediately.

Only change recently was update to iOS 6.

Any suggestions to correct?

Thanks,

Pat j6

Reply

Answer 2

Feb 4, 2013 7:18 AM in response to Kenny Freundlich

Turns out that our problem was caused by bad links being auto-generated for Wellesley tracks by the iTunes Store.

For example, when you go to the iTunes Store from a Mac or Windows PC and search for Nathan Englander Wellesley, and click the arrow next to Free on the far right to Copy Link, you get

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/nathan-englander-reads-from/id419327844?i=12 1865736&mt=2

If we modify the URL to substitute /itunes-u/ for /podcast/ and also delete the "&mt=2" from the end of the URL, so that it looks like

https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/nathan-englander-reads-from/id419327844?i=1 21865736

it now works properly on an iPad (i.e., it no longer goes to the Podcast app but instead, correctly goes to the iTunes U app and finds the track.

I'm hopeful Apple fixes their URL generator in the iTunes Store quickly......k

Reply