We’ve been working on a second application for iPhone in the past few weeks. We started out with a code name of LCM which means little to nothing. Then we start to gravitate towards a name that we can use as the Application Name. We searched around App Store for similar apps and don’t think the name is in use. We all liked the name enough to start using it throughout the application, create the graphics, marketing material, help text, web site, email address, etc. We are a few days from submission and I started the submission process on iTunes Connect. Bam! The name is in use. We searched in App Store again, and sure enough it is there! I can’t believe that we did not find it the first time around. The app was released last year, so we definitely could have found it earlier.
Anyway, we are back to the drawing board on the name thing even though the app is 90%+ done.
I searched the web and found that other developers have similar issues before, e.g. Check Your App Name and Be Prepared to Change It. I wish there’s a easier way to determine if a name is available and to reserve it even if the reservation is only good for a week.
May 5, 2010 at 10:59 pm |
Did you get any solution for this trouble? What I need to do to reserve a product name for my new IPhone application?
May 7, 2010 at 4:13 pm |
The simplest way is to start the application submission process on iTunes Connect as soon as you have a name and sufficient information about the app (e.g. description, icon, keywords, etc.). Fill out the form as if you really have a .zip file to submit. At the last step, select “upload binary later” and just stop there. At this point, you have been assigned an application ID. I *think* the application name you’ve chosen at this point will block others from using the same name.
Disclaimer: I have not actually tested whether this “name reservation” really works. If you know for sure either way, please let us know. Thanks!
June 28, 2010 at 1:44 am |
Congratulations! You have just won a new blog reader 🙂 .. really awesome article, Mike.