Windows Store: Top Learnings from the first Belgian Windows 8 Apps30 October 2012

Katrien De GraeveTechnical Evangelisthttp://blogs.msdn.com/katriend/ @katriendg

Agenda

• Windows Store: registration• How to ace Windows Store registration

• Windows Store: app certification• Preparing your app• Learnings from the most common failures• How to ace certification

• Support options

Congratulations: Belgian Apps

• TODO screenshot

Windows Store: Registration

• https://appdev.microsoft.com/StorePortals• Tokens: MSDN subscriptions (not partner SKU), BizSpark, DreamSpark• Things to have ready: as an Individual

• Your Microsoft account (aka Windows Live ID)• Credit card – access to your credit card statement for account verification• Alternative e-mail address

• Things to have ready: as a Company• A Microsoft account (aka Windows Live ID), not a personal one but a team one• Credit card – access to your credit card statement for account verification• Approver inof (e-mail address cannot be a free e-mail account, needs to be company one)• The official company name, written exactly as in government documents

Account status

Company: Developer Identity Validation

• Symantec GeoTrust 3rd party validation• Mails can be coming from (check Junk folder)

cs-orders@symantec.com microsoft.orders@geotrust.com

• Symantec Belgian document of proof: https://knowledge.verisign.com/support/ssl-certificates-support/index?page=content&actp=CROSSLINK&id=SO17796

Account verification (all)

Paid apps requirements

• Payout account must be completed• Tax profile must be valid

Tips on entering valid tax profile

• Guidance is available on Windows Store blog post, see section « For international developers filling out a W-8 form »: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore/archive/2012/08/03/getting-paid-from-the-windows-store.aspx

Tips on entering valid tax profile

Company only: In addition to 9a, make sure to also check 9c> For non-individual beneficial owner (in other words, company), both 9a and 9c need to be selected/filled.

v

Signatory of tax profile

• For companies, have your CFO fill in tax profile• If submitting in behalve of CFO, extra documents need to be

submitted

In this example: manager will require additional action to for validating profile

Signing capacity: extra action required

Support options

• GeoTrust: http://go.symantec.com/microsoft-chat-support/ (5AM – 5PM PST)• Microsoft: http://aka.ms/StoreSupport • Forum• E-mail, chat and phone support (specific hours)

Store Certification

WACK: before submission

• Windows App Cert Kit – installed with Windows 8 Tools SDK• Run on clean machine• Do not interact with machine while test is running• Try running on low-end computer

WACK Tips

• Background audio: if autoplay=true fails WACK • Suspend/activate issues coming up as the reason

• Direct3D issue coming up in some C# apps• Check that your Suspend/Resume handling is not throwing exceptions

Preparing your app: language(s)

• App language(s) through App Manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><Package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/2010/manifest">[…] </Prerequisites> <Resources> <Resource Language="nl" /> <Resource Language="fr-be" /> </Resources>…

Language requirements

• Associated with the following requirement:Requirement 6.5: You must localize your app for all languages that it supports.• Optional but recommended: add a language choice to override

system language

Preparing your app: capabilities

• Checking required capabilities – uncheck Internet if not used

Privacy policy

• Privacy statement entry is required in all apps using Internet connection (default)• Settings charm entry• Required as separate entry, not under About or

Disclaimer• Can link to website • Make sure the contents represent the actual privacy

policy (not in the wrong language, not pertaining to a privacy but disclaimer, and other similar issues)

• Privacy URL is required in Store portal• Take into account Age Rating setting in portal:

typically content is 12+ rather than lower if you use Internet

Guiding your user

• Add Help or first run info• Don’t expect the user to automatically find out all features

App images and colors

Windows Store Preview

App background

Store Dashboard: App Submission

Selling details

• Regions: who can find and install your app• Price tiers

Paid apps, Trial, In-app purchases

• Expiry date trial• Trial API

Release date

• Can be set to the future• Windows Store team will make best effort to release the app on that

date (no sooner than)• NOTE: If you require a new release before app is published: you need

to cancel release – you might miss the desired date

Determine age rating and privacy requirements

Information collected /Capability accessed Provide your privacy policy URL when you submit app to

Store Portal

Provide access to your privacy policy in the app’s settings as displayed in the

Windows settings charm

Can Age Rating be lower than 12+?

SMS Required Required NoText messages Required Required NoLocation Required Required NoMicrophone Required Required NoWebcam Required Required NoDocuments Library Required Required NoInternet connection (incoming or outgoing) Required Not Required but

encouragedYes

Requires a sign in account where the name on the account is not required to be an email address or user’s name (in real life) but any made-up name

Required Not Required but encouraged Yes

Collects or transmits personal information: User’s Name, User’s Account, Email address, Phone #, Contacts, User’s Address

Required Not Required but encouraged No

Collects or transmits: Images of Computer Desktop or Screen Shots

Required Not Required but encouraged No

Collects or transmits: Browsing History Required Not Required but encouraged No

Don’t forget

• Privacy URL in Store Portal (not a required field!)• Check the URL you enter, does it actually link to a privacy statement? In the

right language?• Is the site online?

• Age rating• Support contact (URL or E-mail) is required• Using external services:• Is your service available at all times • Does it work from the tester’s location? U.S.A. based

Notes to testers

• Make sure you provide any details needed to test the app, for example that a certain flow needs to be followed at first run (configuration etc)• Always provide a test account if login is

required to use the app• Note any geo (blocking) requirements.

Do note testers are not based in Belgium and this might impact app manual testing• Use a mock for testers if required

How to ace certification

• Tips:• Add tester notes – especially upon rejection or new release,

mention clearly what has changed• Region, language• Request .ZIP file with tester review• Have end-users test your app:

• Login needed? Easy to get one?• App bars and (first run) help info needed?

Support options

• Step 1: Read “Store App Certification Requirements”• http://aka.ms/StoreReq• Step 2: Read “Resolving Certification Errors”• http://aka.ms/StoreFix • Step 3: Escalate through CSS• http://aka.ms/StoreSupport

Q&A

Katrien De GraeveTechnical Evangelisthttp://blogs.msdn.com/katriend/ @katriendg

Build apps on Windows. Discover your new home.

http://msdn.be/apps

SATURDAY 10 NOVEMBER 201208:08 – 00:00HUB BRUSSELS

Eat. Drink. Code. Be part of the app revolution. Join thousands of developers around the world as we build apps for the next generation of Windows.

http://aka.ms/wowzappBE

FRIDAY 23 NOVEMBER 20129:00 – 18:30ALM ANTWERP

National and international speakers will talk about App Development, User Experience and Design.http://

aka.ms/appday