sending request to apple - from iphone custom application

Question

Let me explain the application.

• Before starting my question, I would like to say the following. (for specification of my question)
• For example
• in Mac os
• User Starts iTunes
• User Clicks on iTunes Store
• User can see the different applications, videos etc.
• After he will select specific application/video to purchase it.
• ID - Password is required. ( this entire process is before the purchase, means doesn't require any apple id password )

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I have to develop an application which fulfill same requirement as iTunes have. But I am not able to even start it.

• User starts my application
• User can see the all applications developed by my Company. ( Say for example my company has 10 applications developed. )
• Items are in table view. or may be other control.
• In short I have Items, The thing that I Require is " How to send request to apple / when user select my application to purchase? Or what to do - I have no idea about it. "
• user clicks and add items to cart.

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OK. Now here my question starts.

1. How to send request to apple - server when user taps on specific item ?

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What kind of / How many accounts / certificates are required to do the above task ?

Answer 1

I'm no expert on this but I have a strong feeling that Apple isn't going to allow purchases on its store using a third-party application. What exactly are you trying to do?

Answer 2

http://developer.apple.com/iphone/library/documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/StoreKitGuide/Introduction/Introduction.html

You can use In-App Purchase to unlock additional features of your application, to enable or download additional data sets, or even sub-products of your main product (the guide above specifically mentions a game with multiple smaller games that can be purchased.

You cannot use In-App Purchase to build your own App Store.

Answer 3

you should read in app purchase guide on apple's site

Answer 4

Two options:

1. As stated above, use the in-app-purchase mechanism, with the limitations posted by cdespinosa

2. Simply forward the user to the iTunes link for your applications. Here comes a little example snippet that is pointing towards a piece of music - same works for applications - use the iTunes link-generator on the Apple site for this purpose:

http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStoreServices.woa/wa/itmsLinkMaker

    #ifdef TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR
        NSString *buyString=@"http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=314186312&id=314186290&s=143443&uo=6";
    #else
        NSString *buyString=@"itms://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=314186312&id=314186290&s=143443&uo=6";
    #endif
        NSURL *url = [[NSURL alloc] initWithString:[buyString stringByAddingPercentEscapesUsingEncoding:NSASCIIStringEncoding]];
        [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];
        [url release];