Iris Classon
Iris Classon - In Love with Code

Stupid Question 136: Does iOS have metatags for connecting apps to the store like Windows Store Apps?

[To celebrate my first year of programming I will ask a ‘stupid’ questions daily on my blog for a year, to make sure I learn at least 365 new things during my second year as a developer]

Does iOS have metatags for connecting apps to the store like Windows Store Apps?

An easy question today as I have crazy much work to do, a lot of things to wrap up!

I was surprised to hear from several that they didn’t know about the meta tags you can add to your website to promote your windows store app on your website.
Connecting your website to your Windows Store App with meta tags
I just want to make sure that you know that, if you have an iOS app as well or are planning to make one, a similar concept was introduced in iOS6 called Smart Smart App Banners. Just as we do with Windows Store Apps you just add some meta tags to your website, and if a user is using safari on an iOS6 device the banner will show up. If clicked it will redirect you to the store.

This is how the tag looks like:

[sourcecode language=“html”]

Let’s have a look at it:
name=“apple-itunes-app”
content=“app-id=myAppStoreID, affiliate-data=myAffiliateData, app-argument=myURL”

Contentallows for three parameters:
**App-id:**This one is required! App’s unique identifier
affiliate-data: This one is optional. If you are an iTunes affiliate
**app-argument:**Also optional. If the user already has your app this url will let the user go directly to that page in your app. You can use a query string to pass information.

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Last modified on 2013-01-26

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