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Vanity URLs for AppStore.com Debut in Super Bowl Commercial

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Apple introduced App Store Short Links a few days ago, giving developers a way to promote their apps with easy to remember App Store URLs.

Provide a simple way for users to find your apps with easy-to-remember App Store Short Links. Using an AppStore.com URL that includes your app or company name, you can create links to a single app or all of your apps. These links are accessible worldwide and will automatically direct users to their country's respective App Store or Mac App Store.

As noted by CNET, the feature made its public debut during a Super Bowl commercial for the upcoming movie Star Trek: Into Darkness.

shortlinks
At the end of the commercial, there is a promotion for the film's companion app, directing viewers to AppStore.com/StarTrekApp. This link takes users to the app page in the App Store, functioning in the same way as the traditional itunes.apple.com link.

According to Apple's Developer notes, the vanity URLs will be assigned to apps when they are submitted to the iTunes App Store or the Mac App Store.

As Apple points out, the shortened links are ideal for developers who want to share an app in a print ad, a TV or radio spot, an app trailer, or on a billboard.

The simple domain names can be directed towards individual apps or all of the apps a company produces. In demand names that result in naming conflicts will result in a search page, so Apple is encouraging developers to create unique names for apps to prevent future problems.

Top Rated Comments

SockRolid Avatar
173 months ago
Apple: We couldn't trademark "App Store," but we got the DOMAIN!

Amazon: Dang. Is AppStoreWannabe.com available?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nightarchaon Avatar
173 months ago
just annoying to me, click on link, wait 20seconds, get told you cant access the site out side the USA,

and again apple, this is why the USA is the only market your number one in and all the others your losing out to Android.

Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD. :rolleyes:
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbeagle Avatar
173 months ago

Apples view of the world seems to follow the USAs sporting view of the world, i.e the world series, is USA only, not the actual, you know, WORLD. :rolleyes:
We in the United States know there is another country besides the United States, therefore we include the other country in the world, Canada, in the 'World Series'.

Sheesh! And you thought the United States didn't have a world view. :D

By the way, the Baltimore Ravens won the 'World Championship' in football last night. Take that, Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, etc. etc. who didn't even make the championship game.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
173 months ago
Works in Canada...

Doesn't work in the UK.

Studio's fault of course, but bad business development work with Apple to partner with US only spots to show off the new feature. Which is not surprising after the failures to work well with others that were Passbook and Lightning.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wonderspark Avatar
173 months ago
I hope I can follow that link to get the app for my Android phone. :p
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lolkthxbai Avatar
173 months ago
I guess this is why Apple wanted to trademark "App Store" and prevent Amazon from using it. Maybe if they used this AppStore.com site before the case start, they may have that part of the lawsuit.
You know, I was thinking the same. Could this be used as a point to fight the trademark suit?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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