Apple’s latest surprise to iPhone developers of rejecting apps that use incentivized app download may push them to iAd, reports Guardian. Many iOS developers for sometime have been using incentivised app download services to promote their applications where players of a particular game are offered virtual currency in lieu of downloading the other application. The iPhone developer whose game is downloaded pays a fee to the developer hosting the offer in his game.
This way of app promotion became very popular among iPhone developers as mobile users started downloading the offered apps to earn virtual currency for their games. However, last week Apple rejected many apps with service provider Tapjoy claiming that updates to apps have been rejected by the iPhone maker citing clause 3.10 in its developer licence, which restricts iPhone developers from any “attempt to manipulate or cheat the user reviews or chart ranking in the App Store with fake or paid reviews, or any other inappropriate methods”.
Guardian’s report quotes a statement from Tapjoy which reads “It seems there may be a new interpretation of the existing 3.10 clause, which is a bit surprising, as Tapjoy, AdMob, iAd, Flurry, W3i and others all power various forms of app install advertising.We believe there are significant benefits to the advertiser (only pay for what you get), the publisher (monetise users who otherwise wouldn’t pay), and perhaps most importantly to the users, who not only get to discover new, exciting applications, but receive what is essentially a coupon for ad-funded virtual currency inside one of their favorite apps.”
The report further says that it has seen a mail to an iPhone developer from an iAd sales exec, which reads: “I am sure you have been reading about how the ecosystem of how you get ranked is seemingly changing, and it seems as though there is more of a focus of engagement and quality which is something I would like to discuss with you. Driving these quality users and new unique users to your platform will certainly help with driving ranking, but also help on actually having people use the application for what it is intended.”
Apple provides iAd service to iOS developers wherein various offers can be advertised within a app. Based on the above reactions and Apple’s mail, iPhone developers may be left with no option but to use iAd to promote their apps.
Source- Guardian
![[?] get a free quote!](http://www.iphonedeveloperlabs.com/wp-content/themes/iphonelabs/images/getafreequote.png){kind=small}
