Nuskha Labs

App Store Marketing & Advertising Guidelines - Is Apple going too far to control their App Store?

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:48:00 -0400

Apple today sent an App Store Marketing and Advertising Guidelines to all iOS Developers.

Most of the time, these documents are guide for how to do certain tasks and self help guide for Developers for new features on App Store.

But this time the Guidelines are far from self help and very close stringent and rigid rules. It seems like Apple is trying to control its image everywhere on Internet, Publications and Broadcast medium.

Apple is known for controlling Company and it’s executives image and known for taking hard stand on these matters.

You can find the document on Apple Developer Program alternatively you can find the document here:

https://developer.apple.com/appstore/AppStoreMarketingGuidelines.pdf

We have reviewed the document couple of times and we found the guidelines very stringent, rigid and tough to follow. It is also difficult for Apple to control these guidelines as iOS , Applications and other Products are so much popular and the lot of content / material is generated on Top of these products.

We have identified few of the Interesting excerpts from the document which are really hard to believe.

Like, for Custom Photography and Videos Apple has provided Do’s and Don’ts Guidelines -

But this one is really shocker:

Do not use White Apple Products !! What ?? Yes, Apple wants people to use Black Apple Products in Advertising and Marketing.

For websites and App Store Promotions and Application Screenshots more guidelines are released.

Few of the most surprising guidelines are here.

First : You can not alter your Application Screenshot and can not add custom text / picture in Application Screenshots. That’s probably very welcome move from the Consumer point of view as lot of FAKE or misleading applications can be filtered due to this new change.

Second: Do not overlap Apple Products

Third: Never display Apple Product’s home Screen or Dock Icons in your communication!!!

Apart from these, Apple has released perfect height, width of iPhone, iPad and iPhone 5 Logos and Icons details this will surely help designers.

Apple has released Localizable ‘Available on App Store’ badges for website and accessories.

That’s it. We are digging more how it gonna affect to developers and designers on their general practice of Marketing and advertising iOS Games and Applications.

What do you think, is Apple going much far on this issue?

All the Screenshots are taken from: https://developer.apple.com/appstore/AppStoreMarketingGuidelines.pdf

Update: Apple has rejected Steve Jobs Timeline...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:22:00 -0400

Update: Apple has rejected Steve Jobs Timeline Application ! We got following response from App Review Team.

Thank you for submitting your app commemorating Steve Jobs.
We appreciate your efforts honoring Steve. However, we’ve decided to honor his life in other ways and we are no longer accepting Steve Jobs apps.
You can use the Ad Hoc distribution method to share your app with your friends and family.

We have got around 60 ad-hoc application to be distributed among people. You can find more details on www.nuskhalabs.com

Hello All,

We are really excited to share a sneak preview of our new iPad Application , it’s called Steve Jobs Timeline.

Late last year we launched ‘Tribute Calendar’, Apple rejected our Application with their reasoning. But we are not settled yet :)

This year we have created state of the Art Application with amazing User Interface and Visual Effects.

We have submitted our Application on last week and yet to hear from Apple about it’s status. We are really hopeful about it’s acceptance on Apple Store.

Steve Jobs timeline captures important events from Steve’s life, work and entrepreneur journey. We have also added quotes and popular pictures of Steve.

If you want to try out this iPad application you can Sign up for the Preview via TestFlight here: http://tflig.ht/Pzui4T

Attaching few of the images captured from the Steve Jobs Timeline app. Please shower your love and share this to your friends and family.

You can signup on www.nuskhalabs.com, we will notify once the application available on App Store. Thanks to LaunchRock for providing a platform for the Signups.

Regards,

Nuskha Labs

This Valentine's Day, surprise your Love with Personalized iPhone App

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:10:00 -0500

We are very excited to announce about ‘Valentine Memories’ program for iPhone.

‘Valentine Memories’ is First ever Personalized iPhone application program, it brings new form of beautiful digital gifts.

It is collection of your best moments spent with your loved ones,
We will help you to decorate your collection, bundle as an iPhone application and ship to your Valentine’s iPhone.

It’s perfect gift for your Geeky (i)Love mates!

How much do you spend on buying gifts on special occasions either on cake or card or perfume or tie? $ 50 - $ 100 !!

‘Valentine Memories’ cost you just $ 25 as a special price for this amazing, creative & innovative Valentine Gift.

You can order the app here, with that you need to provide at least 7 Photos & Custom Messages you would like to add.

This Valentine’s Day,we at Nuskha Labs are eager to help you create most memorable, most wonderful digital gifts for your loved ones.

You can contact us on nuskhalabs@gmail.com

We have got only 99 ‘Valentine Memories’ invites to accommodate till this Valentine.

This app will be delivered as an Ad Hoc application (independent of iTunes Store), so your personal information will not be shared with publicly.
[Note: We are offering the special price to our first 25 customers only.]

You can find the screen cast of the application (demo) here: http://www.screencast.com/t/QYhFYEaJpjw

You can gift personalized application to your loved ones on occasions which matters most to you like B’day, Valentine’s Day, Anniversary Day , Father’s Day or Women’s Day.

Thanks,

Creative Team (Valentine Memories)

Valentine Memories - Frequently Asked Questions

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:08:00 -0500

Is it easy to create “Valentine Memories” app? YES, Very Easy. Once you order the App , we will send you details and proceedings by Email

What its (Valentine Memories) required to create the app? : Just Few Photos (7 - 12 Photos)

We need at least 7 Photos from you , which you wanted to include as most memorable moments of your Love life. ( If you don’t have 12 photos, we will put images according to the occasion you are creating the app.)

What will I get at last? : (iPhone app) You will get a personalized app ready to be used on your iPhone.

Is it limited to only iPhone? Yes, currently only iPhone/ iPod are included.

How will you distribute the application? We are using Test Flight SDK and provide FAQ, Email and Phone Support.

To whom I can gift this App? To your Loved ones / Soul mates who use iPhone/ iPod.

A proud daughter/son can send a wonderful memories app to her father/ mother on their birthday/anniversary filled with all sweet memories.

A lovable wife/ husband can surprise their spouse with Memories app by combining all the wonderful moments they spent together in years together.

We are inviting all the people, proud mothers/fathers, loving husbands/wives, caring daughter/sons, artists, photographers and iPhone lovers, nerds/geeks to be part of the Memories Calendar by creating & gifting iPhone app.

Privacy Policy: This app will be delivered as an Ad Hoc application (independent of iTunes Store), so your personal information will not be shared with publicly.

Apple Developer Support extended my Developer program for 4 Days

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:17:00 -0500

Today Morning was as usual, started with some fixes on client project. And then I went to my Apple Developer account for small work of Ad-hoc distribution to client.

‘1 Day remaining in your Apple Developer Program’

OMG !! I forgot to renew my Apple Developer program , today was the last day for Renewal of the Program. Don’t know how this thing slipped from my task list.

I immediately went through Renewal Process. Purchased the program and received a message that, It will take 24 Hours time to renew my Program and I will be notified by email.

That means, In 24 Hours I will receive notification and my Developer Program may resume.
What if my developer Program get expired in between?

A.) My all Apps will be removed from the Store.

B.) My all Apps which are ‘Waiting For Review’ mode will be removed and once again either I need to resubmit apps or they may be dragged I to new queue when my Program gets renewal. ( I am not quite sure about this. )

I talked with Apple Developer Support (Singapore) , only option left because of Time Zone.

Nice talking Gentleman received my call in around 30 seconds (not bad).!

I explained him a problem and my fear about Re-queueing the already submitted applications. (Unlike other Customer Support, they didn’t asked any annoying question about Verification of My Name, Address, Age and Phone Number.)

He immediately understood my problem , and asked me my immediate contact number in case current call get disconnected. (That’s a smart move, as in my Developer Account I have provided Company Number that is different than my immediate contact number.)

International call sucked my Talk Time (Balance Minutes), so unfortunately my call got disconnected!! I was keeping my fingers crossed that whether the gentleman on other line understood my problem or not.

But Luckily in 5 - 7 minutes - I received an International Phone call and on the line was the same guy from Apple.

He told me that he understood my problem and to resolve the matter

’ Apple will extend your current developer program for 4 more days’ …!

What?? Yes, they extended my Program for few days, so I may not suffer in any case of system generated Program expiration.

I said (still bemused) thanks to Support guy, and he said Welcome.

For lot many people its not noteworthy incident which you would mind to share.

But for me , where Customer Support is really worst by all the Service Provide/Telecoms in Asia, its unbelievably surreal experience. In India, from Customer Support guys you hear only one sentence “We are extremely sorry , We can’t help you with this problem” or “We can’t change in the System. Sorry for the inconvenience”

I am pleased, surprised and happy that Apple takes care of its developers and customers by what best they can do. Presumably Apple provides best Customer/ Developer Support in all Technology Giants.

I found one more reason , one more story to love Apple more. !

Note: Checkout our Valentine Memories Program - First ever truly personalized iPhone app for your loved ones.

We 've decided to honor Steve Jobs Life in Cydia Way

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:15:00 -0500

We got rejection from Apple Team and in the email Apple Review Team have said - “However, We have decided to honor his life in other ways and we are not accepting these types of apps.”

We are really happy (& proud) to announce that ‘Tribute Calendar’ is launched with Cydia Store.

We have kept our promise to release the App free (as well Ad Free), it will remain Free for lifetime.

Finally, wanted to extend our thanks to lot many news sites, editors, Apple fans for providing great support on various blogs covering our story. In addition app is featured with Sincerely Ship Library , so you can print wonderful Post Cards with images of ‘Tribute Calendar’. You can find all the images of Tribute Calendar here.

One more thing…
If you don’t have Cydia or Jail broken device , we are distributing the application to 25 lucky users as an Ad-hoc application. Write to us nuskhalabs@gmail.com

You can provide support to us by downloading our other application PhotoCalendar HD

Drumroll, please... Introducing iFixit.org | iFixit.org

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:43:19 -0500

Drumroll, please... Introducing iFixit.org | iFixit.org:

minimalmac:

We have been traveling to developing countries in Asia and Africa, visiting e-waste scrapyards and small repair shops, meeting “fixers” who breathe new life into gadgets that the western world has tossed away, and photographing the journey. Part travelogue, part investigative reporting, part soapbox, iFixit.org promises only one thing: a clear-eyed, thoughtful look at global repair culture.

This looks amazing! The beautiful site design alone is worth the visit but the subject matter is essential knowledge about the world we live in. Fascinating stuff.

(via 52 Tiger)

Summify iPhone application pulled out from the App Store

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:08:11 -0500

Getting various responses on the acquisition of Summify by Twitter.
Found interesting thing - Summify has removed its iPhone app from the Apple App Store.

Lot of people are commenting on Twitter’s acquistion and shutting down the Startups like Trunk.ly, BackType, PostRank …

https://twitter.com/#!/randfish/status/160080348884123648

We wish this shouldn’t be the first step towards the shutting of popular social news iOS/Web app.!!

Nuskha Labs Interview with AppleGoogle on Rejection of Steve Jobs Tribute Calendar

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:05:00 -0500

Interview With the Developer Whose App Got Rejected For Paying Tribute to Steve Jobs

Apple recently rejected an application in the App Store that paid tribute to Steve Jobs. In this interview, we talk directly to the developer of the application to get a behind the scenes picture and discuss about the next steps.

1. What did the App do? How did you conceive the idea for the App?

- Application’s name is Tribute Calendar – its Special Edition app of PhotoCalendar (bit.ly/photocalendar) app lets you create Calendar wallpaper with the image of popular Steve Jobs images. Also there are multiple themes and convenient positions to place the calendar image.

We release special edition of PhotoCalendar about events, personalities we love to honour. Earlier Royal Wedding Calendar ( bit.ly/royalCalendar ) was released with same idea.
Steve Jobs made larger impact to our personal life, and thats how the idea of Tribute Calendar was invoked.

2. Why do you think Apple has rejected your App? Any particular reasons that come to your mind?

Apple has been very sensitive about their trademarks, patents , individuals associated with the Apple. Apple is also very sensitive and selective when it comes to Steve Jobs. Considering the nature of our application, we don’t think there is any thing objectionable at all. But we respect Apple’s decision

3. What will be your next step relating to this App? Would you still be wanting to get this in the hands of users or will you focus on some other project?

We will be releasing the App on Cydia Market, also figuring out the way to reach out normal App Store Customers via next PhotoCalendar ( bit.ly/photocalendar & bit.ly/photocallite ) update.

4. Do you think Apple is right in the decision? How do you think Steve Jobs has changed the world for you (if he has)?

We respect the decision made by Apple, although we are quite disappointed because of rejection. Steve Jobs always been inspiration to us , you can find the simplicity and clarity which Steve liked in our applications.

If you’ve got any other questions for the developer, just ask it in the comments section below and we will make sure it gets answered.

superamit: Many of you have asked, so here’s what’s going on...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:56:07 -0500

superamit:

Many of you have asked, so here’s what’s going on with me.

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE

8/1979: Born. Grew up in CT, built a killer eraser collection, fell in love with computers.

Left college to start a company. Fell hard. Fled to India for 3 months.

Started 2nd company. Learned to be an adult. Fell in love with NYC.

Moved to SF, discovered burritos & some of my fave people on Earth.

9/2011: Got diagnosed with Leukemia!

Cried. Went through 3 cycles of chemo. Hurt. Thought hard about what I want out of life. Grew up a second time.

TODAY

… After over 100 drives organized by friends, family, and strangers, celebrity call-outs, a bazillion reblogs (7000+!), tweets, and Facebook posts, press, fundraising and international drives organized by tireless friends, and a couple painful false starts, I’ve got a 10/10 matched donor!

You all literally helped save my life. (And the lives of many others.)

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Tomorrow, I’ll be admitted to Dana Farber in Boston for 4-5 weeks.

First I’ll get a second Hickman line to allow direct access to my heart (for meds and for nutrients if I’m not able to eat). Over the next week, the docs blast my body with a stiff chemo cocktail to try and eradicate all traces of cancer cells. In the process, the immune system I was born with, and my body’s ability to make blood, are destroyed.

Next Friday, I get my donor’s stem cells by IV. I start on immunosuppressants to prevent my body from rejecting them (I’ll be on them for 12-18 months). For these weeks I’ve no immune system, so I’m severely vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. My hospital room and hallway become my world.

Meanwhile, the stem cells make their way to my bone marrow and, with some luck, start producing platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells. At this point, my blood type changes to the blood type of my donor. And my blood will now have my donor’s DNA, not my own.

This is science fiction stuff. I can hardly believe it’s even possible, and there’s lots of chances for things to go wrong. It’s frightening.

AFTER THE TRANSPLANT

Recovery to a new state of “normal” takes about a year, but there’s a few storm clouds hovering:

My immune system is new, like a baby’s. I’m prone to getting sick.

Just as with any organ transplant, there’s a chance of rejection. Except in this case, it’s my blood that’s the foreign body, and it touches every organ. They call it graft-vs-host-disease and it can cause health issues and organ complications for the rest of my life.

Successful transplant or not, Leukemia can relapse. Stubborn mofo.

Overall, 75% of AML transplant patients survive year one, 50% make it through year five. My odds are a little better since I’m young.

THE GREAT NEWS

I’ve got a long road ahead. But I’ve got a donor & amazing family & friends. A few months ago I didn’t have many options. Today I have a plan.

I am alive. I start tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Thank you.

Nuskha Labs website redesigned.

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:41:00 -0500

Nuskha Labs website redesigned.

We are getting lot of responses on News Sites and via Emails. We...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:00:00 -0500

Tribute Calendar - January

Tribute Calendar - March

Tribute Calendar - April

Tribute Calendar - May

Tribute Calendar - June

Tribute Calendar - July

Tribute Calendar - August

Tribute Calendar - September

Tribute Calendar - October

Tribute Calendar - December

We are getting lot of responses on News Sites and via Emails. We already had decided to post all the images used in to Tribute Calendar - (A tribute to Steve Jobs). Today we have released all the images on this blog.

We will be releasing the Tribute Calendar on Cydia in this week.

There’s another way to create Calendar images with above images.

First Download all the images from this post.
then Download - PhotoCalendar HD (bit.ly/photocalendar).

PhotoCalendar HD you can create Calendar Images from your Photo Gallery or Photo Library.
(We have got 15 Promo Codes for this, If you want them send us an email.)

We also have PhotoCalendar Lite version (bit.ly/photocallite) but that allows you to create Calendar Images only with Camera Photos.

Thanks. For more details contact: nuskhalabs@gmail.com.

Note: We are not claiming any of the Photo’s Copyrights. All the rights reserved for their respected Photo owners. We are really grateful that they made these photos available on Internet. If any of the Photo Owners would like to take their photo down from this post. Please contact on email.

Attached are Screen shots of the Tribute Calendar - Application...

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:29:00 -0500

Tribute Calendar - December Page

Tribute Calendar - Customization

Attached are Screen shots of the Tribute Calendar - Application submitted to Apple.

Our application - ‘Tribute Calendar’ - a Tribute to...

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:18:00 -0500

Splash Screen - Tribute Calendar

Tribute Calendar Logo

iTunes Rejection - Tribute Calendar

Our application - ‘Tribute Calendar’ - a Tribute to the Legendary Steve Jobs is been rejected by Apple iTunes Team.

We are really disappointed by the tough stand they are taking in to the Review Procedure for iPhone applications. We respect the decision of the Apple.

We submitted this in Review Notes to Apple: ” Please consider this app as our tribute to Steve Jobs. We don’t want to harm any one’s feelings at Apple. We don’t claim Photo rights , all the respected Image sources have complete photo rights of these images. Application won’t be paid any time.
Again, we know Apple is really sensitive about Steve Jobs, we also love Steve , and its our sincere attempt to reach out people in remembrance of Steve. “

We will post all the images used in the Tribute application on this very blog. (http://nuskhalabs.tumblr.com/post/15162904173/tributeimages)

You can create Tribute Calendar, Memories Calendar, Wedding Calendar & Family Calendar with our products like PhotoCalendar HD (bit.ly/photocalendar) and PhotoCalendar Lite (bit.ly/photocallite).
Please contact : nuskhalabs@gmail.com

Thanks for covering:
1. http://www.macnn.com/articles/11/12/30/says.it.will.be.rejecting.these.type.of.apps/

2.http://www.idownloadblog.com/2011/12/31/jobs-tribute-calendar-rejected/

3.http://appadvice.com/appnn/2012/01/apples-app-store-approval-team-rejects-steve-jobs-tribute-calendar-app

We are most likely releasing the app on Cydia Store in this week itself.

PhotoCalendar HD

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:05:50 -0500

PhotoCalendar HD:

PhotoCalendar is an app, we are always proud of. You can create your personalize Calendar with photos friends and family.

Will apple approve program of Memories Calendar?

Tue, 10 May 2011 00:46:00 -0400

Update: Our app got approved long ago. There is another news regarding Rejection of Steve Jobs Tribute Calendar iOS app.

Dear all,

Guys thank you for reading this mail , it is about our ‘Memories Calendar’ program, for people like you.

Royal Wedding Calendar is a part of our “Memories Calendar” program.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photocalendar-lite/id424081062?mt=8

We are inviting ordinary people, proud mothers/fathers, loving husbands/wives, caring daughter/sons, artists, photographers and all to be part of the Memories Calendar.

We are extending “Memories Calendar” to all you people. You can gift your personalized application for your loved ones. We really want to help out and reach to you people.

A proud daughter/son can send a wonderful memories calendar to her father/ mother on their birthday/anniversary filled with all sweet memories.

A lovable wife can surprise her husband with memories calendar by sending all the wonderful moments they spent together on anniversaries.

It is up to your imagination how best you treat your loved ones. We at Nuskha Labs , wanted to help you create most memorable gifts for your loved ones.

Memories Calendar is part of under $25 products. All people spend more than this either on cake or card or perfume?

But bigger question is “Will Apple approve this application or a program at whole” ?

As Apple not allow applications which involves individuals?

This will surely populate already populated Apple Store. We are thinking of trying with ‘Test A Flight’ , but this requires a device enabled for Developer.

We really want to create a niche in gifting industry , by providing truly personalized application and also want to create a distribution limited to particular circle lets say to Friends and Family.

You can contact us on nuskhalabs@gmail.com

We invite photo artists and designers also to be part of Memories Calendar.

visit us : www.nuskhalabs.com

We are planning alternate solutions, independent of iTunes Store.

Regards,

Nuskha Labs

Royal Wedding Calendar - iTunes

Mon, 09 May 2011 23:49:31 -0400

Royal Wedding Calendar - iTunes

TweetPredict

Sat, 07 May 2011 14:53:06 -0400

Hey all, just came across to ‘tweetPredict’ iPhone fun game on Twitter timeline. It’s interesting. www.twitter.com/tweetpredict

Feature a Photo by Nuskha Labs (PhotoCalendar)

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:23:00 -0500

Greetings to all of you.

Nuskha Labs has created PhotoCalendar for all of you to share your wonderful moments with your friends and family as a part of Calendar.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photocalendar-lite/id424081062?mt=8

We received tremendous response and achieved ‘New and Noteworthy’ title by iTunes Store.

Now we want you to be a part of the PhotoCalendar application, and share your most wonderful captures with our users.

Feature a Photo - I is an opportunity for a everyone to feature their captured photo as a default backgrounds of 12 months in PhotoCalendar iPhone application.

Feature a Photo - I ( 20th Jan ‘11 to 30th Jan ‘11)

Selected photos will be available in update of PhotoCalendar in first week of February.

The process is very simple:

1. Like the page of Nuskha Labs in Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nuskha-Labs/174410469260558

2. Upload your Photos to Nuskha Labs page.

3. Invite your friends to comment and like on photos you uploaded. Share the posts on your facebook wall.

4. On 30th January , 12 Photos with Maximum interaction will be selected as a democratic process.

Hurrrry up , and please share this word along with your friends.

With Regards,

Team Nuskha Labs

Lessons learnt from PhotoCalendar - Amazing entrepreneur story

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:47:00 -0500

This is the first part of the post Lessons learnt from PhotoCalendar, by co-founder and Sales/Marketing Head of Nuskha Labs.

We at Nuskha Labs always believed in creating simple things with minimalistic design and excellent User Experience.

PhotoCalendar (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photocalendar-lite/id424081062?mt=8) is our first product on iTunes Store.

Our team consists of UI/UX designer and iOS Developers. So here are few good lessons we learnt about iTunes, Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Greystripe, Taiwan, India and United States.

- Timing of the application release is as much important as Application itself

- iTunes and iOS users will greet your application open heartedly and you should always focus on user experience

-Apple Rejection can ruin your application timing , so always pre-validate your submissions

-Holiday seasons really matter your Sales (in quantity if Free application)

-United States is not the only iTunes Market you should focus on

-if your application has value , it will surely come as Top of the list

-if you don’t have proper monetizing strategy your Sales will be of no use

- Sharing on Twitter is something very unusual in general , Facebook rocks !!!

Statistics about PhotoCalendar

-20th December (Uploaded on iTunes as iPhotoCalendar)

-22nd December (Rejected for using ‘iPhoto’ in application name)

-23rd December (Uploaded with modifications on iTunes)

-23rd to 29th Apple Store was closed for Holiday Season

-29th December Application Live on iTunes Store

-29th December Sales in two digits

-30th Dec to 1st Jan Sales 500+

-2nd January Sales 4000+

-2nd January Topped Taiwan Store in Utilities application for Free

-2nd January ranked #3 India Store in Utilities application for Free

-2nd January entered in ‘New and Noteworthy Category’

-6th January updated as PhotoCalendar 1.1 with Twitter bug fix and ad-Integration

More things will be discussed on the same blog on next part of PhotoCalendar Story. This story is written by Co-founder and Sales/Marketing Head of Nuskha Labs - a product based startup company works in iPhone/iPad applications.