Iliya Yordanov, the developer of 18,000 Cool Jokes wrote to me once “I need Apple to fix a bug in iTunes connect first- the thing is that currently, we can’t generate promo codes for 18 000 COOL JOKES.” The application was first rejected for reasons best known to Apple. 

It was accepted only when Iliya rated the application +17 as directed by Apple. Till then neither he nor I were unaware that promo codes cannot be generated for applications rated +17. Now that it is proven, which we thought once to be a bug happens to be another Apple policy. Well, I am just confused and developers are unhappy about this raw deal. 

The contentious question is what is the logic and justification? “Neither the 3.0 software nor iTunes display parental warnings when using a promo code to purchase apps with a mature (17+) rating.” This is the funny explanation for the imbroglio. 

If there should at all be display of parental warning when using a promo code, is this not something Apple should implement? In addition to this woe, Apple is making it mandatory that all browser embedded applications should be rated as +17. Approval time for browser embedded and those applications rated as +17 are also reported to be taking longer than the usual duration which we once consider is too long. 

It is becoming really confusing lately. On one hand Apple is actively yanking applications from the App Store that contains nudity and on the other they are making developers burn their patience waiting  for the approval of their applications. 

Well, there are lots to be said. Going back to the inability to generate promo codes, I’d say Apple somehow has confusingly crippled developers to effectively promote their applications. Developers of 18,000 Cool Jokes, Instapaper, Tumblr, etc are forced to take a painful workaround in order to promote and advertise their applications. There gotta be a better solution Apple!