Intentionally Delaying an App's Release after Approval

[arn]

Hi guys,

I had a question on the behalf of a developer, as I don't do any app submissions to the App Store

My understanding is that some developers submit their apps, get them approved and then release them on a specific day in the future. So the approved app is just sitting there waiting to be launched.

How is this accomplished. The developer I've been speaking to is under the impression that the app will go live automatically when it is approved, even if the release date is set later.

Is this true? Anyone clarify the process?

thanks
arn

[jonaswills]

Originally Posted by arn

Hi guys,

I had a question on the behalf of a developer, as I don't do any app submissions to the App Store

My understanding is that some developers submit their apps, get them approved and then release them on a specific day in the future. So the approved app is just sitting there waiting to be launched.

How is this accomplished. The developer I've been speaking to is under the impression that the app will go live automatically when it is approved, even if the release date is set later.

Is this true? Anyone clarify the process?

thanks
arn

From what we have seen you can have an app approved but if the release date is set to later it will wait to be released until that date, however, updates seem to go into effect right away and if you try to push the release of an update back it will remove your whole app from the store.

[Eric5h5]

Originally Posted by arn

My understanding is that some developers submit their apps, get them approved and then release them on a specific day in the future. So the approved app is just sitting there waiting to be launched.

How is this accomplished.

By setting the release date to the desired date in iTunes Connect.

The developer I've been speaking to is under the impression that the app will go live automatically when it is approved, even if the release date is set later.

Is this true?

Nope. However, there does seem to be one gotcha: from what I understand, the release date for the app is when Apple approves it, or what the developer sets it to, whichever is earlier. So if Apple approves the app on June 1 and you have a release date of June 5, it won't go live until June 5, but will have a release date of June 1. Hence it will get buried in the app store. Apple really ought to change that so the release date is whichever is later. Because despite what I thought originally, the current system makes setting a release date impossible in practice, unless you don't care about being on the new releases list.

--Eric

[M of IMAK]

Originally Posted by jonaswills

From what we have seen you can have an app approved but if the release date is set to later it will wait to be released until that date, however, updates seem to go into effect right away and if you try to push the release of an update back it will remove your whole app from the store.

This has been my experience as well. For new apps, we set the release date 5-7 days in the future, expecting that to correspond roughly with the approval date. That way, if we aren't watching when it gets approved, we will at least be near the top of the recent releases list.

[DaveMc99]

Originally Posted by Eric5h5

Because despite what I thought originally, the current system makes setting a release date impossible in practice, unless you don't care about being on the new releases list.

Toki Tori went live on the 21st and is still not in the top 100. Toki Tori's release date is May 8th. It was approved and held til the 21st by the publisher because they wanted to wait to promote it on that date. Toki has 29 ratings.
Sonic went live on the 20th and is now the #5 top game. Sonic's release date is May 20th. Sonic has 294 ratings.

You would think Chillingo would know better.. can someone confirm that is what happened to Toki Tori?
Did Sonic jump to the top of the release list and Toki Tori get lost in it?

[PixelthisMike]

Originally Posted by DaveMc99

You would think Chillingo would know better.. can someone confirm that is what happened to Toki Tori?
Did Sonic jump to the top of the release list and Toki Tori get lost in it?

I guess it's pretty difficult to confirm beyond doubt that's what happened. Even if Toki Tori appeared at the top of the new releases lists there's no way to know if it would have taken off like Sonic has. Sonic has the advantage of being, well, Sonic! It's a household brand everywhere, and has been for almost twenty years. Chances are if Sonic didn't take advantage of the new releases list it would still be bringing in the dough.

I know Toki Tori isn't new IP but it's not really in the same league as Sonic isn't it? Well not here in little ol' NZ anyway

If you've really gone all out on top-notch marketing for a specific release date I think it would be worth pushing the release date forward and missing out on being a new release. It only takes a day or two to be buried anyway. But you're marketing had better be real good to take that gamble

[Eric5h5]

I never saw Toki Tori on the new releases list; with a release date of May 8, it would have been buried somewhere around page 20 when it went live. I think I disagree about the importance of that...so much of an app's success is visibility on the App Store, it seems like marketing is a distant second.

--Eric

[WellSpentYouth]

When the App is approved, it will be released at the date that you set in iTunes Connect. If the date that it is approved is after the set date, it will go live immediately. (well, it takes a few hours)

[codepunk]

Originally Posted by arn

How is this accomplished. The developer I've been speaking to is under the impression that the app will go live automatically when it is approved, even if the release date is set later.

Is this true? Anyone clarify the process?

thanks
arn

Simple, if you can avoid it never ever do this. When you set the release date forward of the approved date you just ensure that you app never gets seen. The store is showing the approved date no matter what you set the release date to. So on the day you release your submission it is now buried behind everything approved from the time you where approved to the time you released. The result you loose your only chance of ever being seen.

[DaveMc99]

Originally Posted by PixelthisMike

I guess it's pretty difficult to confirm beyond doubt that's what happened. Even if Toki Tori appeared at the top of the new releases lists there's no way to know if it would have taken off like Sonic has.

I did not mean to imply Toki Tori would take off as fast as Sonic.. but we have the answer now. The game was updated with a new date May 29th and featured in New and Noteworthy. It is now #73 in Top Games and rising.