Am I right in assuming that we could use this in our apps to do different things other than a promo?
I don't think so - it's only used when you trigger the Redeem Code action and you scan the code via camera ...
Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
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Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#12So does this mean that the iPhone camera is always awake and scanning for said box with code?!
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#13So does this mean that the iPhone camera is always awake and scanning for said box with code?!
No, see the image http://blog.equinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/scan-card...
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's an interesting idea. I wonder what Apple would think. On one hand, they still get their cut. On the other hand, they like having full control over the experience. On the gripping hand, how could they even stop it?
... by kicking you off the store?
Possibly. But unlike standard promo codes, you could easily do this from a separate account that's not in any way linked to your developer account.
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#15So does this mean that the iPhone camera is always awake and scanning for said box with code?!
No, it's only activated when you go to redeem a card in the iTunes/App Stores.
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#16It's likely that they use custom font not as a deterrence measure, but merely because it's specifically designed to simplify their recognition code.
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#17It's likely that they use custom font not as a deterrence measure, but merely because it's specifically designed to simplify their recognition code.
Exactly. Also the box and placing was no 'security measure', just the way it worked. It is very interesting to see how the view of the person trying to 'break the cipher' is different to the mindset of the team that had to get it to work. They were probably security paranoid about the hackability of their work but in a totally different direction to that 'seen' by someone 'breaking the cipher'.
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#18Am I right in assuming that we could use this in our apps to do different things other than a promo?
I don't think so - it's only used when you trigger the Redeem Code action and you scan the code via camera ...
I can't catch that before it triggers a "call" to Apple to very the code and do something else? I'm thinking of rerouting to a feature inside my app that's special to users of that code.
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#19Wow this is really cool! So how do you get the promo codes at all? Do you buy those through an API? Are you considered Apple will shut you down somehow?
You can generate promo codes on iTunes Connect. They're fairly limited: you can only get 100 promo codes per app version, and you're not allowed to use them for commercial purposes. As long as you're not selling these cards, I don't think Apple would have a problem with them.
Starbucks used to have cards that would let you download individual apps that worked like this.
Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design
#20It's likely that they use custom font not as a deterrence measure, but merely because it's specifically designed to simplify their recognition code.
Exactly. Also the box and placing was no 'security measure', just the way it worked. It is very interesting to see how the view of the person trying to 'break the cipher' is different to the mindset of the team that had to get it to work. They were probably security paranoid about the hackability of their work but in a totally different direction to that 'seen' by someone 'breaking the cipher'.
While I imagine it's not a security measure, I don't think it's "just the way it worked" either. It sounds like a conscious decision to limit false positives.