In June 2017, Apple shook the table for app developers and their clients when it announced its new App Store guidelines.
The most controversial update was rule 4.2.6, which stated that ‘Apps created from a commercialized template or app generation service will be rejected.’ The new rule aimed to clean out spammy and low quality apps from the App Store.
Apple has since relaxed this rule after a wide range of businesses were hugely impacted. The updated rule now allows templated apps and app generation services to exist in the App Store if they are published by the business itself, and not the developer. Instead, app developers should “offer tools that let their clients create customized, innovative apps that provide unique customer experiences.” says Apple.
Apple also gave developers the option to create a singular app that hosts all client content in the form of a ‘picker’ app for customers.
So what does this mean for the future of event apps?
For starters, event professionals that hire developers to create templated or bespoke event apps will need to self-publish the apps themselves via an App Store publisher account.
Alternatively, developers can create individual publisher accounts for their clients. Either way, event professionals will have to be involved in the documentation and licensing process of app publishing.
This could be time consuming for both developers and their clients, especially companies who don’t have in-house developers that create event apps.
‘Picker’ event apps may be suitable for companies who just wish to list their events on a platform. However, if your events company wishes to utilise data capture and engagement tools, then a picker app may not suit your needs.
At the same time, creating a bespoke app for every event can be costly as well as time consuming.
Moving forward, it seems that a single platform that offers multiple customisable tools for both data capture and engagement would be the best option for event professionals and companies that throw events.
An app like this, such as the YADA Events app would take the weight off event professionals who would otherwise spend time creating expensive bespoke apps before going through the publishing process to get it on the App Store.
On a platform that offers data insights and engagement tools, event professionals could also pick and choose the tools they need, in one platform.
Of course, whether your company needs a single, multi-functional event app all depends on what’s best for your business.
However, as the process of creating event apps become more complicated, it seems like event apps might head in the direction of singular platforms with multiple functions.
Why not email us about featuring on the blog: tamara.amarquaye@yada.events.
Try the YADA Events app on the App Store or Google Play and see how you can use it for your next event management project.
Blog | UK | YADA Says 