Hi, I’d like to change some images in my app without submitting an update to the AppStore. Is it possible?
Thank you
If it is already submitted, then the answer is likely no.
You can build your app to always check a web server to see if new assets are available and if so, use those instead. Then you could change images without resubmitting the app. But you would obviously need to build that into the app before it gets approved and put into the store.
And how can I make my app always check a web server?
That’s up to you how you want to implement it. There’s lots of different ways.
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Put new assets in a ZIP or TAR file and host it on your web site at a set address. At app launch, check to see if that file is at that location. If it is, download it and extract it to the Documents directory. If not or no connection, exit gracefully. Then, anytime you load an image, check to see if it exists in the Documents directory. If it is there, use that version. If not, use the one in the Resources directory (the one you include with the app). The ZIP plugin requires a Pro subscrption, but there is a freely-available code in the exchange to extract TAR files.
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Everytime you load an image, check to see if that file exists on your server. If so, download it and use it. If not, use the one in the Resources directory.
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Integrate push notifications so you can let users know when an update is available and have them download the file from your server from within the app (and basically does what #1 lays out).
Coming up with the architecture is the first step because it will change how you code it. There are pros and cons with all the solutions, but it can be done. Just a question if it is worth doing.
This company’s app has a in-app update feature … The app can update itself.
The app has to be programmed to support that feature. It’s not something that comes with the operating system or the store.
Rob
Not sure what that video was supposed to show. Every app is completely different.
There are lots of things you could possibly update without needing to release a new version in the app stores. If you were a radio app, you download new radio stations to listen to. If you were an app that allows you to view publicly-accessible camera feeds from online, you could release an update that includes new cameras. If you were a weather app, you could release support for new cities.
You can’t update the actual code of the app itself, but you can update content.
It’s really just a matter of (1) deciding what you want to offer updates for, and (2) building your app on an acrchitecture that supports that. That takes planning and good design. Before you start coding.
If it is already submitted, then the answer is likely no.
You can build your app to always check a web server to see if new assets are available and if so, use those instead. Then you could change images without resubmitting the app. But you would obviously need to build that into the app before it gets approved and put into the store.
And how can I make my app always check a web server?
That’s up to you how you want to implement it. There’s lots of different ways.
-
Put new assets in a ZIP or TAR file and host it on your web site at a set address. At app launch, check to see if that file is at that location. If it is, download it and extract it to the Documents directory. If not or no connection, exit gracefully. Then, anytime you load an image, check to see if it exists in the Documents directory. If it is there, use that version. If not, use the one in the Resources directory (the one you include with the app). The ZIP plugin requires a Pro subscrption, but there is a freely-available code in the exchange to extract TAR files.
-
Everytime you load an image, check to see if that file exists on your server. If so, download it and use it. If not, use the one in the Resources directory.
-
Integrate push notifications so you can let users know when an update is available and have them download the file from your server from within the app (and basically does what #1 lays out).
Coming up with the architecture is the first step because it will change how you code it. There are pros and cons with all the solutions, but it can be done. Just a question if it is worth doing.
This company’s app has a in-app update feature … The app can update itself.
The app has to be programmed to support that feature. It’s not something that comes with the operating system or the store.
Rob
Not sure what that video was supposed to show. Every app is completely different.
There are lots of things you could possibly update without needing to release a new version in the app stores. If you were a radio app, you download new radio stations to listen to. If you were an app that allows you to view publicly-accessible camera feeds from online, you could release an update that includes new cameras. If you were a weather app, you could release support for new cities.
You can’t update the actual code of the app itself, but you can update content.
It’s really just a matter of (1) deciding what you want to offer updates for, and (2) building your app on an acrchitecture that supports that. That takes planning and good design. Before you start coding.