So you want to get into the App Store, eh? This User Tip is a general road map of how to do that successfully. It doesn't have a step-by-step guide, but instead offers a road map to plan your journey to the App Store. This User Tip is targeted at both would-be App Store developers and business people.
The most important part of this journey is your goal. Where do you want to go and how do you want to get there? If you are a business owner who wants better penetration into the internet mobile device market, then you should strongly consider a mobile-friendly web site. They are easy to do yet surprisingly rare. They cover both iOS and Android devices. Nobody needs to approve anything. The principle is pretty simple. Take your existing web site, separate the content from the presentation. Create a set of desktop styles and a set of mobile styles. You're done.
You're still not sold. You want an app. OK. First realize that Apple demands that apps offer more functionality than just a mobile web site. If you are really developing a mobile web site, see the above paragraph. If you really want an app, then make sure to think of real functionality you can provide to your users, something that brings them value, and brings more value to their device.
What if you are a developer wanting to start a business? Unfortunately, others have already beaten you to the market. It is going to be an uphill battle. Unless you have money to live on while you develop your app full time, and funding to advertise your app when done, the hill will be very steep indeed. More and more, the App Store (Apple's and Google's) are turning into a marketplace of developers as much as apps. The race to the bottom is nearing the finish line. If you want to get a job developing mobile apps, you must have already published apps, preferably in both Apple and Google stores. If you are really marketing your own skills, why are you charging money? That is like sending a resume and asking for payment to see it. Obviously that is not going to work, so why not make free apps? Receipt managment and in-app purchases are hot skills, so go ahead and make a freemium app. Just don't expect to get rich. If you are able to make enough money to purchase some test devices, you are being successful. If you do get lucky and get rich, congratulations!
There are two partners in this dance, the business owner and the developer. If both roles are being played by the same person, you have twice as much work to do. See the above paragraph. If not, there are some other factors to consider, most importantly, money and intellectual property. The person who controls the Apple Developer account controls the app. That person can release updates, collect profits, and is responsible for support. If you are hiring a developer to build an app for you, you must obtain your own Apple Developer account. You give your developer limited access to that account. You must retain ownership of the source code to the app in case you need to hire a new developer.
If you are a business owner wanting to hire a developer, then you are going to need a Business Apple Developer account. This grants the individual people involved with the account some anonymity. Plus, this is a world-wide busiess being run out of Apple's store-front. Because of these issues, opening a business developer account will require paperwork, planning, verification, and time. Fraud is a major, world-wide problem and the law stops at national borders. If your company is not based in the United States, you will need even more paperwork, planning, verification, and time. Delays of weeks or even months are commonly reported. If you don't require a business account, then you should strongly consider an Individual Apple Developer account. You do lose some anonymity, but you are installing software on people's devices after all. Even with the App Store restrictions, that is a big responsibility not to be taken lightly. Own your name and be proud of it and the work associated with it.
Intellectual property issues aren't restricted to the App Store. If you are selling an app, or even giving one away, you must support it. This will require your own web siite and e-mail that are under your control. This means you will need to purchase your own internet domain name and your own web hosting service. There are many, many companies that provide these services. Personally, I use Dreamhost and have been very happy with them.
Creating an Apple Developer account requires that you be old enough to enter into a legal contract. That means you must be 18 years old or older. If you are younger than that, don't despair. Apple has an option for young developers. You can have your parent or guardian open a developer account in their name and you can legally use it to publish apps. Everything will be under your parent or guardian's name. Once you turn 18, you can transfer those apps into your own developer account under your own name. I strongly suggest that you have your parent or guardian create a separate Apple ID for all of your development activities. You wouldn't want to mix your parent's iTunes music with your own music would you? Well, your source code is even more important. You can have multiple Apple IDs so make use of this feature and keep separate activities separate.
So you are tired of reading and want to start coding? Then continue on to App Development 102: Getting Started.
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