On iOS7 launch day I was able to download Apple’s new iOS to my iPad Mini. My first stop was the App Store to check out the new “Kids” category.
I noticed a selection of familiar developers featured in the Kids category, many of whom have worked hard to build apps that kids really love. My hope is that over time, more and more developers will be featured in this category, because this section of the App Store is fun and vibrant and made with content “just for kids”.
I also noticed a selection of developers who I could not find in the Kids category, but who had, after a lot of effort to make their apps work with the new Apple Review Guidelines for Kids, gotten their apps accepted by Apple.
At this point, unfortunately, accepted does not mean selected. It looks like submitting your app with the new “Kids” designation, even upon acceptance, does not guarantee placement in the Kids section of the store. Apparently access to this section of the store, at least for now, depends on being selected by Apple for inclusion.
I wanted to share it in case it impacts your business planning.
It was almost sure that it would be like this. All categories are working like this : everything is handpicked.
If you want to view all apps, you use the top charts for kids or you use the search and filter by categories but unfortunately it seems that you can’t filter using the kids category yet (but I think it will come)
Thanks for sharing this information Lorraine.
Sure, @bethany, thanks for leaving a comment.
@Pierre, I think the situation is tricky because the new review guidelines were part of the process, which means that developers spent a lot of real time preparing to meet the new guidelines. Their natural perception, upon finally being “accepted”, was to locate their app in the category.The reality is different, and before developers go to a ton of trouble meeting new guidelines, they should know what the discoverability chances really are.
Thanks for this post, Bethany. I’m a UK based children’s author and have just published my children’s picture book app ‘Ferdinand Fox’s Big Sleep’ (which is based on my print book) and was puzzled not to see it in the Kids’ Category as it was accepted for it. Hence I’ve just Googled the topic and stumbled on your post here. It is very disappointing that they only feature a selected few app – and I feel mislead, I must say – though was happy to comply with the rules as they all made sense to me.
Since I’m here I’ll leave a link to it as it is free for the next couple of weeks – or perhaps longer if I can’t get discovered! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ferdinand-foxs-big-sleep-interactive/id672933239 (By all means strip this out if you don’t allow links…)
Rest assured that it’s high quality – very much a book reading experience for parents and children to share – and has no in-app purchases or ads!
@kareninglis
Hi again – I’ve just found your App Friday page and have registered there, so will submit the app there once I decide on when the initial free period will end! I’m very happy if you’d like to leave the link above if that is allowed in the meantime, but of course please remove it if it’s not allowed! Apologies for any confusion on my part!