TUAW is reporting that developers can no longer issue promotional codes for any app with a 17+ rating.
When a developer publishes a new version of an app of to the App Store, they are issued 50 promotional codes to use as they see fit. The codes expire after 28 days, they can be used only one time, and developers can’t sell them. Even with these restrictions, the promo codes given to developers are an indispensable marketing tool.
The reason for Apple killing these promotion codes for 17+ rated apps appears to be that parental warnings are not currently displayed at the time they are redeemed.
This restriction doesn’t just affect the apps with “adult” content in them. This restriction affects any app that features an embedded web browser or provides access to third-party content. The reason being that these apps automatically receive the 17+ rating regardless of target audience. This means that relatively harmless apps like a Twitter client, or a Flickr client are affected. To get around this hurdle developers are having to send reviewers ad-hoc builds, or iTunes gift certificates as reimbursement for the cost of the app.
This is clearly a boneheaded move on Apple’s part. Now, I understand that Apple reserves the right to do whatever they see fit with the App Store, but this is a wrong move that could very well hurt development for the platform. If Apple wants to see the iPhone development community continue to thrive, they must stop this practice right now.
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TAGS: App Store, Developers
