We've been talking a lot lately about the App Store problems faced by iPhone app developers. This is a complex program approval process that can drag on for many weeks, and an inconvenient iTunes Connect, and a large amount of garbage, which makes it harder and harder to earn money in the App Store.
Recently, a new one has been added to these problems — the "capture" of application names. The thing is that representatives of the British company developing applications for the iPhone – Atomic Antelope – reported that they could not apply for consideration of their Twitch program, because someone had already registered this name. On the other hand, there was no development with this name in the app store. This suggests that someone intentionally "occupies" catchy names – as they do with domain names. But if, in the case of domains, you can contact the registrant of a certain domain name and negotiate a buyout, then in the situation with applications, you can assume that the name simply remains to be abandoned. After all, it is no longer possible to contact the person who registered it.
How does it happen that Apple allows some hooligans to rampage like this? It turns out that it's all about the ill-conceived application registration process with Apple. The developer (or invader) enters the name of the application on the company's website, but can choose the option "Download binary code later". In this case, the same name can no longer be registered, even if this person does not download any application in the end.
What is left for developers who have a lot of ideas in stock – both applications and their names? Nothing, except how to do the same as an ordinary invader – first "occupy" the name, and only then create and submit your brainchild for registration. Which is what we have to do, including Atomic Antelope.
Apple representatives, as usual, are slow to comment on the current and not very pleasant situation. But, obviously, squatting can become a real headache for independent developers.
