If you’re a fan of “white label” apps for your events and year-round engagement needs (or a developer like us who creates them), the past few months have been a roller-coaster ride with lots of ups and downs. So, since we just careened around the latest turn, we thought this was a good time to update you on where things stand today on this important issue.
In short, in December, Apple revised Rule 4.2 to keep white-label apps alive and well, so long as they are delivered via the client’s Apple account, not the developer’s.
Some Recent History. You may recall that, over the summer, Apple issued Rule 4.2.6 which was interpreted to ban the use of “white label” apps starting in 2018. This restriction was not limited to the events industry, but rather was an across-the-board prohibition designed to force developers to deliver their mobile solutions via a single “container” app. Users would download the developer’s “container” app and enter an app code to search for the particular app they wanted.
In response to public and congressional opposition, Apple modified Rule 4.2.6 in late December to provide, in part: “4.2.6 Apps created from a commercialized template or app generation service will be rejected unless they are submitted directly by the provider of the app’s content.”
What This Means for You? The good news is that once again the choice is yours. You have the option to choose the app format you want: “white-label” or “container” (we call our “container” app “TBM Engage”).
How Do I Decide? Here’s a quick summary of the main differences to help you make the choice that’s best for you:
| “Container” App | “White-Label” App | |
| Branding on the App Store? | “TBM Engage” | Your Organization’s Name |
| Which Apple Account? | TripBuilder Media’s Account | Your Account |
| How Will Users Find the App? | Search “TBM Engage” in App Store. Then enter your App Code in TBM Engage. | Search for App by Your Name in App Store |
| Opening Splash Screen? | “TBM Engage” | Your Custom Artwork |
| Icon to Launch App? | “TBM Engage” | Your Custom Artwork |
| Configurable for My Needs? | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Functionality Available? | No | Yes |
Clearly, “white-label” apps offer our clients some significant branding and custom functionality related-benefits (hence the outcry by many at Apple’s initial Rule 4.2.6 that would have eliminated them). But our TBM Engage Container App also offers some significant benefits, including lower cost and easier adoption of new features. The choice really will depend on your specific needs.
The Good News: It’s Up to You. The good news about the December revision to Rule 4.2.6 is that you once again you have the ability to choose what’s best for you. We are happy about that too, since our goal has always been to deliver the mobile solution best-suited to our client’s needs.
We’re Here to Help. We welcome the opportunity to learn more about your specific needs, so that we can use our many years of experience to advise you on the best solution to accomplish your goals. If you’d like to speak with us, please get in touch. We’d love to speak with you.
