Submitting multiple similar apps to Apple/Google app stores?

Instead of trying to explain my situation I will link to a very similar situation:
http://iphonedevsdk.com/forum/iphon...imum-number-of-apps-a-developer-can-have.html

I have developed a mobile app template that multiple businesses can use however I don't really know how to proceed. Lets pretend the app template is for a restaurant menu. So each business would pay me a monthly fee for me to put an app on the app stores for them. They would make content edits in the app through my website (where they would sign in under their business). I would basically be submitting multiple identical apps. The only thing different would be the app name/icon/other business unique stuff. I know Apple does not allow similar apps on the app store because they consider it spam. But is this a logical enough reason to get past this rule? Surely a business would want their app under their business name. I know if I owned a restaurant I wouldn't want my restaurant app grouped into some generic app which most likely also contains my competitors (other restaurants). Part of the appeal of having an app for your restaurant is to be able to market it. Imagine marketing your restaurant app on your flyers. Users wouldn't even be able to search the app by the restaurant name since the restaurants are grouped in one app.

Does anyone have any advice how to structure this kind of business? Is it wise to try to submit an app for every business I take in?

 

Without the details of what you've got:

I think your target market here are small business owners who are looking for something convenient and cheaper to present themselves as keeping up to pace. For the most part, they likely wouldn't have too much of an issue with it, unless you were selling it to another local business or a direct competitor. Your issue will be with Apple. Give them a call and get in contact with the people who decide in these cases. If approved, get a confirmation email from Apple before you invest more into it.

 

Seems like you would simply make the app. Create an account system in which the restaurant can sign in and display a completely unique menu based on how they set up their restaurant on your site, as you say. No need for multiple apps in that case. And the "competing companies" would have no way to know about the software being used by others. Not as if you are hiding it from them, but it would still be unique to each business.

 

I don't think a business would want an app unless the app name is their business name... I don't want a customer to have to search for a business in this grouped app.

 

Another option is don't be on the app store. You can make a web app and make it a app on devices. It'll look and function the same as any other app would AND it could have their name on it etc as you wanted. And they could download it off your site. Contact me if you don't know how to do this and want to learn.

 

I think having an actual mobile app is a must in our case. Our main features revolve around push notifications and last time I checked safari push notifications only work on mac, not iOS.


@Bogla I don't think a phone call would do much in my case. I've been in situations in the past where it really depends on who you get as a reviewer.. some reviewers can be convinced and some are pretty strict.

 

Well back to your response to my previous suggestion. Currently everyone uses the login system where the user/organization has a login and custom software inside it. I would say that is extremely normal. I don't think any company is gonna balk at that concept.

But it seems to me you already made your mind up to release multiple apps as the solution. But my experience with large companies is that they no longer care about your case by case problems. If it's in their little policy book then good luck fighting it. Corporate is so shitty that way.

I would sit down and write some notes and how you could design the UX to feel tailored and fitted to their company without having multiple apps.

Also it'll be a mess to release lots of apps and try to keep a consistent brand for word of mouth and any other method of getting your product spread.

 

Not really sure what you mean. I will have a login system on my site where the business customizes their app. Once their app is released to stores, which is pretty much just a generic template at that point, they would log in through my site and customize it to their liking. And these aren't corporate businesses i'm looking to advertise to, just smaller ones.

I'm open to new ways to do this. I just don't see a business being interested in an app where they are grouped with other businesses because there are so many of those out there at the moment which are free and established.

 

They log into the app I'm saying and have a custom design tailored to them set from inside your website. And I wasn't saying you were advertising to corporate businesses. I was referring to Apple.

Apparently our brains aren't very compatible. 2/3 responses you didn't understand. My way of writing doesn't make sense to you I guess. Not in a bad way, as much or more my fault as yours. So I'll just leave it at that since I'm not making sense to you.

 

Haha all good. Maybe I did a bad job at explaining what the app is for. Do you think it is just for business owners? The whole point of this "menu app" is for customers, not the business owners. The business owner can edit the menu of restaurant items for example through my website, then the customers can see this menu when they open the app. Unless you are saying that customers should log in through the app to view the menu? :S

 

Yeah I think we're making progress towards your core issue

The customers wouldn't have to login. It could have the login saved and when the app opens it just redirects to the menu immediately without even seeing a login screen. Pretty much identical to if they had their own app. Only difference would be no custom app name.

 

Hmm. Say a business wanted to advertise this app on their poster, how do you think they would?

 

Generic Menu App name. "Come try our new "Menu" app for a super convenient way to order!"

This goes back to my earlier point. This is a common occurrence. Client companies won't balk at the fact they have a generic app name IMO. I know this isn't a fair comparison but I'll stick it there anyway. Uber doesn't need a new app name for each driver that uses it. It's not "Jason Driving." Again, not in quite the same realm and not a fair comparison. But you get the idea.

The added benefit to this model is that you get automatic advertising. You can have a recognizable generic app icon so people can be like "Hey this restaurant has that sweet menu app!" And other companies will envy it and buy it too. It could become the standard.

 

The only problem with that is I can't really compete with Yelp's Eat 24 once it gets going in Canada. What you are describing is pretty much what Eat 24 is except it has way more functionality than my app would have.

 

Then I see two options left.

You can create a completely custom app for each client and then Apple can't say jack because it's different each time. Not efficient and you would only appeal to large businesses who have the cash to shell out for custom.

Second is what you've said. Giving everyone an app with their name on it and it'd be your edge over the competitor, but to be honest you'll have a rough road trying to compete with a name like Yelp either way, I'm sorry to say. Not to mention if Apple gives you grief.

It's quite the pickle. If you're able to create a menu app that's well done, I'd say scout out another idea and put your skills into that.

It's really hard to come up with a original idea. That's why often times we developers get on board with someone with an idea and take a lot of the resulting company as compensation. An idea is worthless without being able to implement it, but we are similarly useless without an idea to implement.

 

@kmjt I thought you may find this interesting. I haven't looked into it much at all. But it's possible it's saying it'll allow push notifications from a web app. Again, I only read the brief description and haven't looked in the files.

https://github.com/wix/react-native-notifications

 

Interesting thanks. I don't think i'm going to use it though since their TODO has Android support, and my whole goal is focused on mobile in the first place And last time I checked push notifications don't work for iOS, only macs.

 

Yeah it was meant as something you could keep your eye on. And I think that's the idea of the component is to force push notifications. I could be very wrong about that, but if it does allow that then it could be very useful towards solving your problem when they support Android.