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Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

blog.equinux.com

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Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#21

Post by xsmasher »

Macsenour wrote: post #18
amatecha wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Users redeem codes from inside the App Store app on their phone.

You can generate codes to give you app away for free, or to grant a free in-app purchase, but that is all. There's no callbacks from the app store to your app to intercept.

Possibly you could do what you want with QR codes and launch URLs, or by doing camera+OCR stuff yourself inside your app.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#22

Post by mikeash »

jolux wrote: post #19
mikeash wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I think I remember that. Were they paid apps Starbucks had a deal with, or free ones?

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#23

Post by haikuginger »

mikeash wrote: post #14
striking wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

... 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.

Because if there's one thing we've learned, it's that developers doing things they're not supposed to do on the App Store always do a great job of keeping their "black hat" account separate and distinct from their "real" account.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#24

Post by mstade »

mikeash wrote: post #22
jolux wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Starbucks used to have cards that would let you download individual apps that worked like this.

I think I remember that. Were they paid apps Starbucks had a deal with, or free ones?

I never saw it for apps, only music.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#25

Post by favorited »

xsmasher wrote: post #21
Macsenour wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Users redeem codes from inside the App Store app on their phone. You can generate codes to give you app away for free, or to grant a free in-app purchase, but that is all. There's no callbacks from the app store to your app to intercept. Possibly you could do what you want with QR codes and launch URLs, or by doing camera+OCR stuff yourself inside your app.

It's also likely a copyright violation to use that font file without permission.

Typefaces have never been copyrightable in the US, but digital fonts implementing a typeface have been since the early 90s.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#26

Post by valuearb »

mschuster91 wrote: post #12

So does this mean that the iPhone camera is always awake and scanning for said box with code?!

if you are worried about any of the sensors on your phone always being on, remember that Apple and Google need their relative OSes to make battery charges last as long as possible. So always on stuff is problematic. For a good user experience Bluetooth and wifi usually need to be on, but GPS, camera and microphone usually don't.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#27

Post by nv-vn »

valuearb wrote: post #26
mschuster91 wrote: post #12

So does this mean that the iPhone camera is always awake and scanning for said box with code?!

if you are worried about any of the sensors on your phone always being on, remember that Apple and Google need their relative OSes to make battery charges last as long as possible. So always on stuff is problematic. For a good user experience Bluetooth and wifi usually need to be on, but GPS, camera and microphone usually don't.

How is always-on useful for Bluetooth? In fact, it's a huge vulnerability if that's the case. On Android I simply turn it on to connect to something and off to disconnect.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#28

Post by techsupporter »

mikeash wrote: post #22
jolux wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Starbucks used to have cards that would let you download individual apps that worked like this.

I think I remember that. Were they paid apps Starbucks had a deal with, or free ones?

Bit of both. I downloaded some free apps via the cards but mostly they were paid app redemption codes (in-app purchases excluded, of course).

The program moved to the Starbucks app a year or so ago but seems to have stopped.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#29

Post by eltoozero »

mstade wrote: post #24
mikeash wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think I remember that. Were they paid apps Starbucks had a deal with, or free ones?

I never saw it for apps, only music.

Lots of paid apps, games and even e-books, I have several cards for Monument Valley.

Re: Cracking the code behind Apple’s App Store promo card design

#30

Post by seandougall »

favorited wrote: post #25
xsmasher wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Users redeem codes from inside the App Store app on their phone. You can generate codes to give you app away for free, or to grant a free in-app purchase, but that is all. There's no callbacks from the app store to your app to intercept. Possibly you could do what you want with QR codes and launch URLs, or by doing camera+OCR stuff yourself inside your app.

It's also likely a copyright violation to use that font file without permission. Typefaces have never been copyrightable in the US, but digital fonts implementing a typeface have been since the early 90s.

This all sounds like it was done without duplicating the font itself (aside from installing it, which does make a copy in one of the Library/Fonts folders, but afaik that isn't been considered duplication for copyright purposes). And it could be done easily enough without even making that copy (a symlink would likely do it).
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