Text tutorials for submitting new apps to the Apple App Store (GO)

When you've finally developed your app to overcome the difficulties, the next step is to submit the app to the App Store, what should you do? Is my app really ready to submit? I'm sure these questions will float right into your mind. Based on this tutorial, I will show you a complete submission process.

Introduced

We all know that the Apple audit process is like a "black box" operation, but this does not prevent you from making some prior preparations for the review process. Apple's App Store review guide has told you which ones are allowed and which are not. When you first submit your app to Apple, it's an exciting but nerve-racking process. Even experienced developers will be caught off guard, after all, it's not like writing code every day.

Premise

When you submit an app to the App Store, you're already a member of the Apple iOS developer program and you've paid $99/year to Apple. You can register as an Apple iOS developer Project member via this link. Click the Enroll Now button.

Figure 1. Register as an iOS developer

1. Are you ready for your application?

Step1. Testing

Does writing the last line of code or performing the last function do not mean that your app is complete and you have your app tested on multiple devices? Is there a memory leak problem with your app? Does your application always crash? Over the years, the iOS device market has grown rapidly, and you must ensure that your application is tested on as many devices as possible. Common questions like whether you've passed the test on the iphone 5 's 4-inch screen to the ipad mini's 7.9-inch screen.

iOS simulator is very useful, but it is running on Mac, memory and processing power is much stronger than the phone in your pocket, an iphone 3GS and iphone 5 performance difference not much to say. As an iOS developer, you can't risk long-term use of an outdated iOS device to create and maintain apps, even if the app works well on older iOS devices, but doesn't mean it can run smoothly on new devices.

Apple's audit is closed, but can reduce the poor performance of the user's bad physical examination. If your app crashes often, or if it runs quickly after launch, you still have a lot of work to do before submitting to the App Store. Even if Apple auditors can't find the app's problems, users will find out. If the user experience is poor, then the user will give you a bad rating or low score, further affecting the application of sales and download.

Step2. Rules and guidelines

As I said earlier, Apple provides developers with a lot of documentation, especially for the iOS human-Computer Interaction guide and App Store review guide, but many developers don't have the energy or the hard time to read through these documents, and your app will be rejected repeatedly because of the requirements listed in these documents.

Take a step back and say that even if you don't study the iOS HCI Guide and the App Store review Guide, developers need to know the rules that people often say, and I've listed some of the things your app should and shouldn't do.

Your application:

• Can't crash
• You cannot use the private API.
• You cannot copy the native app functionality,
• You should use IAP (in-app billing) financial transactions
• Cannot use the camera or microphone without the user's knowledge
• Should use a copyrighted picture

These are just a small part of the document content that is mentioned above. The iOS human-Computer Interaction guide and the App Store review guide content are much more trivial. But there are small places you may inadvertently violate. For example, before Apple uses the home map, the Mapkit framework uses Google Maps, and users are well aware that Google's logo will be placed in the lower left corner of each map, and Apple will reject your app if your app's user interface overrides Google's logo. Although this is trivial, it is a place where developers often "make mistakes".

2. Pre-Preparation

Before you start submitting your program to the App Store, you need to have an app ID, a valid publishing certificate, and a valid provisioning profile. Here's a look at their respective roles.

Step 1:app ID (app ID)

App IDs are unique identifiers that identify different applications. Each app requires an app ID or app logo. There are currently two types of app identifiers: one is the exact app ID (explicit app ID) and one is the wildcard app ID (wildcard app ID). App IDs that use wildcards can be used to build and install multiple programs. Although the wildcard app ID is handy, an accurate app ID is also needed, especially if your app uses icloud or other iOS features, such as game Center, Push notifications, or IAP.

If you're not sure what app ID is right for your project, I recommend you read Apple's documentation on this topic: Technical Note QA1713.

Step 2:distribution Certificate (Release certificate)

iOS apps have a security certificate for verifying developer identities and signatures. In order to submit an app to the App Store, you need to create an iOS provisioning profile. You first need to create a distribution certificate (Publish certificate), which is similar to creating a development certificate (development certificate). If you've already tested your app on a physical device, you're already familiar with creating development certificate.

If you are unfamiliar with this, I suggest you read Apple's detailed guidance on signing certificates and provisioning profiles.

Step 3:provisioning Profile (config file)

Once you've created your app ID and distribution certificate, you can create an iOS provisioning profile to make it easy to sell your app in the App Store. However, you cannot use the same provisioning profile as the ad hoc distribution. You need to create a separate provisioning profile for your App store distribution, and if you use the wildcard app ID, you can use the same provisioning profile for multiple apps.

Step 4:build Settings (Build settings)

Configuring the app ID, distribution certificate, and provisioning profile is complete, and it's time to configure the build settings for target in Xcode. Select a target in the targets list in the Xcode Project Navigator, open the Build Settings option at the top, and update the code signing to follow the previously created distribution Provisioning profile matches. The recently added provisioning profiles is sometimes not immediately visible in the build settings code signing, and restarting Xcode will solve the problem.

Figure 2: Configuring the target's build Settings

Step 5:deployment Target (deployment target)

It's very necessary to say that each target in deployment Target,xcode has a deployment target, which can indicate the minimum version that the app can run. However, once the app takes effect in the App Store and then modifies deployment target, you have to take into account some consequences. If you upgraded the deployment target while updating the app, but the user who has already purchased the app does not encounter the new deployment target, then the app will not run on the user's mobile device. If a user downloads an updated app via itunes (not a device) and then replaces the original version on the device, it turns out that the new version doesn't work on the device, which is really a problem.

I have two ways to do that.

(1) When you decide to increase the deployment target for your existing app, you'll need to explain it in the release notes for the new version. If you tell the user in advance, at least one thing, you've tried to stop the problem from happening.

(2) for a new app, I often set deployment target as the most recently released system version. Since the release of the new iOS version, the rate of penetration growth is incredible. Many people think that raising deployment target will lose most of the market, which is inaccurate, for example, one months after IOS 6,ios 6 was released, more than 60% devices have been updated. But for Android, it's another matter, and Android users won't be as enthusiastic about updating OS versions as iOS users.

3. Assets (Resource bundle)

Step 1:icons (Icon)

Icon is an integral part of the app and you want to make sure the icon size doesn't go wrong.

• ITunes artwork:1024px x 1024px (required)
• Ipad/ipad mini:72px x 72px and 114px x 114px (required)
• Iphone/ipod touch:57px x 57px and 114px x 114px (required)
• Search icon:29px x 29px and 58px x 58px (optional)
• Settings application:50px x 50px and 100px x 100px (optional)

Step 2: Screen

The role of the screen is self-evident, you can upload 5 for each app, although you need to upload at least one, it may be very few people will only upload a picture. In addition, you need to prepare different screens for iphone/ipod touch and Ipad/ipad Mini, respectively. This is not a small amount of work, but it can show the other side of the application. Shiny Development has developed a $6.99 Mac software Status magic that can save you a lot of time. The status Magic can help you put the state bar in the right place.

Screen and icon are applied to the user's first feeling, directly related to the user will not buy. However, the screen you upload does not have to be practical, see where ' s My water? Can be more attractive and persuasive by using this strategy.

Step 3: Meta data

Before submitting your app, manage your app's metadata, including 1 app names, 2 version numbers, 3 main categories, 4 concise descriptions, 5 keywords, 6. Support URLs. If you need to update your app, you'll also want to provide new additions to the version.

If your app needs to be registered, you also have to provide Apple with a test account or demo account so that the auditor can quickly get into the app without having to sign up for the account.

4. Preparation for submission

After Xcode 4, the developer submits the app in a much simpler way, and you can submit it directly using Xcode. First create an App in itunes Connect, access itunes Connect, use your iOS developer account to log in, click on the "Manage Your apps" On the right, click on the "Add New app" in the top left corner, select "iOS app", Then complete the form.

Figure 3. Browse the itunes Connect page

Step 1: Complete basic information

The name of the app that appears in the App Store is unique, which can be different from the name on the main screen icon, but it is recommended to use the same name.

SKU number is a special string used to identify the app. I often use the bundle identifier of the app. The bottom is the bundle ID of the app, and you can choose the wildcard app ID or the exact app ID from the down menu.

Figure 4: Specify name, SKU number, and bundle ID

Step 2: Price and Availability

Next, determine the price and validity of the app. Apple has determined the price gradient, so you don't have to choose the app price in each country separately, you just have to specify which country the App store sells. After the app is displayed in the App Store, the information you fill in the process can be modified, which means you can change the price and do not need to submit or update it.

Figure 5: Specifying Price and validity

Step 3: Meta data

We've already talked about metadata, but haven't said app ratings yet. Depending on the content and functionality of the app, Apple will give the app a rating, for example, many applications are 4+,500px 17+. In addition to telling the user the content and functionality of the app, you can also reassure your child's parents.

If your app level doesn't match the content, Apple will reject your app as well.

Figure 6. Type the app metadata and rating

Step 4: Prepare to upload binary files

After you've submitted your app's metadata, you'll see some summary information about the app, and you should look at the app's version before you submit it. Click on the "View Details" button, then click "Ready to Upload Binary" in the top right corner. Then the system asks you one or several questions about the app, and when you're done, you'll see a message telling you that you're ready to upload a binary file. The app's status becomes "Waiting for Upload".

Figure 7. App Overview

5. Uploading binary files

In order to upload a program, you need to create a archive for the program. You can only create a archive on a real device. If you selected iOS Simulator in active scheme, the archive option in the Xcode product menu is not selectable. Connect an iOS device to your Mac machine, select the device in active scheme, and select Archive in the Product menu in Xcode.

Figure 8 using Xcode to archive an application (archiving)

If all goes well, now you get a archive, and Xcode's organizer will open automatically and show the archive you just generated. Select Archive in the list and click on the "Distribute" button on the right. In the displayed screen, select "Submit to the IOS App Store". Then enter your iOS developer account to authenticate. Then select application and code Signing Identity.

The binaries of the application are uploaded to Apple's server--in this process, your program needs to be verified as well. If an error is encountered during the validation process, the program's submission process will fail. Validation processing is useful, and if there are some errors in the program, the Apple APP Store jury will tell you the exact reason.

Figure 9 using Xcode to archive an application (archiving)
Figure 10: Submit the app to the iOS app Store
Figure 11: Type the iOS developer
Figure 12. Select Application and Code Signing Identity
Figure 13: Validation failure with error message

6. Wait

When the upload is complete, the app status becomes "Waiting for Review".

Summarize

The new application submission process is long, but the update is fast. If your app needs to be localized, it involves a lot, because some basic information needs to be localized. However, this process is worthwhile, after all, more users will bring you more downloads and profits.

Text tutorials for submitting new apps to the Apple App Store (GO)