Apple allows for ‘Promo’ Distribution System through iTunes! [Updatedx3]

Posted on December 3rd, 2008. Written by Arron.

[Updatex3] Developers, you can now associate yourself with RazorianFly Contests. Free advertising for you, and we’ll give-a-way exclusive free copies of your application, to lucky winners each week. If you’d like to send us promo codes for use in these contests, please go here for more information.

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[Updatex2] – According to on-going discussions, it seems the promo codes are valid for one use only, after which the code expires. The application however is as if you’ve just bought it. Free, full and subject to free updates, forever.

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[Update] – If your interested in submitting an App Store promo code to RazorianFly for your app, please checkout our new ‘Want a Review?‘ page.

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As previously noted by Mac Rumors, Apple has started offering a better alternative solution to iPhone and iPod touch app distribution. With the new system, developers can now issue up to 50 promo codes for each of their submitted apps, to review sites or family members. These codes allow for the user to download a free full-version of an application, without the need for a developer to build a ‘provision’ file specific to a certain device. Guess what? – We just received our first one! …

Yep, as well as Smudge Apps sending a promotional copy of Jam: Vol 01 [App Store] to Mac Rumors, we also (just this second) napped ourselves a promo copy!

I know a lot of developers have been waiting for this to come into effect for a long time, but on the other hand – so have we. Before this method, review sites like us would have to rely on sending device identifiers for each review device, using something like Erica Sadun’s UDID [App Store]. Now though, this is not necessary. With the new distribution system, all the developer has to do (if they choose to) is send out an iTunes-looking gift code (promo code), and once entered, the user will be able to download a full version of the application, absolutely free.

… and you probably won’t be surprised to read that we’re in complete support of it. There’s one major flaw to the old Ad-Hoc distribution system that makes me favour the ‘promo’ one over it, and that’s the ‘expiry timer’. An Ad-Hoc distribution of an app expires. With this new method, a developer can really seem to be rewarding the app reviewer, friend or family member by letting them keep the application indefinitely, without charge. In the case of a review site, in turn for the free promo code you surrender, you would get free exposure of your application, and all the marketing surrounding it. As you probably know, when we review an app, we publish direct app store links, and sometimes even links to your product’s site. With this kind of distribution compared to Ad-Hoc, I feel it’s a win-win situation for both us – the app reviewers, and you the developers!

How do I use the new app promo codes?
Using an app promo code is identical to redeeming an iTunes gift voucher code. App promo codes are only currently redeemable with a US iTunes account – of which we have!

iTunes US Store > Redeem > Enter Code > Promo App copy starts downloading.

As the editorial team here at RazorianFly had editors doted here, there and everywhere, between us, we have both iTunes UK and US accounts – and if you’d like us to give your app some front page air time, simply send us an App Store promo code. We’ll then be sure to put it through it’s paces and usually aim to publish a full review within 60 days.

P.S. – This is great news, and we think it’s going to make life’s of a lot of developers a lot easier, not to mention speed up the app review process for us review sites!