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I am looking for some way to automatically launch the app store on an iPhone from within an app. For example, the user logs in using the app, and the server requires a specific version of the app. Can I open the app store, or grab the upgrade automatically, or does the user need to go through the app store manually?

Thanks in advance, Conrad

Conradaroma
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    I'm also interested in this. I think the best you will be able to do is pop up an UIAlert and tell the user that they need to upgrade to access the new content, and when you hit Ok open the link to your app's page in the store. They will then have to manually upgrade from there. I'm not sure how to open the store that way, but I know it can be done. – jamone Jul 08 '10 at 20:50
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    Dupe? http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1039163/is-it-possible-to-make-your-uploaded-iphone-application-auto-update – Sean Edwards Jul 08 '10 at 20:51
  • I agree with jamone about using a UIAlert to ask them to upgrade. Here's a quick way how to launch after they click a button in the alertview (replace linkshare link with your app link): http://gamesfromwithin.com/handling-app-store-and-linkshare-links – iwasrobbed Jul 08 '10 at 21:01
  • It's totally a dupe. My bad. The UIAlert is the obvious solution, and might just be what I have to do. – Conradaroma Jul 08 '10 at 21:04

2 Answers2

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The user needs to go through the AppStore to get the upgrade. The user might choose not to upgrade the app for whatever reason and you can't force update.

Of course, you can navigate to the AppStore page and offer the choice to the user.

Franci Penov
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  • Hmmm, I hadn't thought about that. I've just checked it out, and if you open the URL of the app in the safari browser, then it opens the app store up right away. This is a decent way to push a user to upgrade. We have somewhat non-technical users, which is why I'm looking for something automated. Cheers, c – Conradaroma Jul 08 '10 at 22:22
  • I know a lot of 'somewhat non-technical' iPhone/iPod touch users, and I have yet to see someone that has problems updating their apps. – Douwe Maan Jul 09 '10 at 06:36
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Have you tried [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:@"itms://..."] with the URL for your app?

lucius
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  • I think that's going to be the solution. It will still require a login to the iTunes store for that user, but it's the best I can probably work with. It's really too bad that free apps can't have updates pushed to them. – Conradaroma Jul 12 '10 at 00:45