Apple Debuts App Store Video Trailers in Latest Editor's Choice App

Thursday November 21, 2013 11:06 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today debuted a new video trailer in the App Store for its latest Editor's Choice app, Clumsy Ninja, reports MacStories. This is the first time that Apple has allowed a video to be embedded within an App Store description.

As an Editor's Choice pick, Clumsy Ninja has been given a specially designed App Store page in iTunes that includes a link to the app along with a video trailer that opens into a full screen preview when clicked. The iOS App Store description of the app features the same general layout, with the embedded video playing directly within the built-in iOS media player.

clumsyninja

The big news is, of course, the fact that Apple is embedding a video in the App Store, which has historically only allowed developers to include up to five static screenshots for their apps. Clumsy Ninja's video opens the built-in iOS media player in portrait mode, and it features music playing in the background with no voiceover or custom App Store branding. It is, effectively, a game trailer on the App Store.

Videos within App Store app descriptions are a new feature and it is unclear whether Apple plans to use videos only for its featured apps or if there will be a wider video rollout allowing developers to embed similar trailer videos in their app descriptions.

Developers have thus far been limited to a handful of screenshots to show off app functionality, but video embeds could go a long way towards showing off the true capabilities of an app.

Currently, the Clumsy Ninja video is restricted to the U.K. and other European App Stores, but the U.S. App Store will presumably be updated soon to feature the new Editor's Choice pick. The new App Store layout can be accessed through the U.K. link, however, which does open in the U.S. App Store.

Top Rated Comments

somethingelsefl

129 months ago

Good. Now let's enable a trial/demo period option for app developers that way the App Store volume would be almost cut half by getting rid of "Lite" or limited versions of apps and search functionality would improve.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

attila

The ninja is too skeumorphic.

I hope they update the app to ios7 soon!

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

campingsk8er

I like that idea, but then Apple wouldn't be able to boast how many Apps they have on the App store and that they have more than Android.

drewc1138

Neat. I'm sure it'll only be on featured apps, since it's a completely different page.

I'd much rather Apple work on finding a solution for uploading screenshots after the app is live/in review. It's kind of ridiculous to have to submit a whole new build just to update screenshots.

If they roll out a way of easily capturing a screen recording then this will be amazing.

Otherwise it seems like few developers will be able to utilize it... It's very hard to make a quality screen recording, IMO. Your best bet is to screen record the simulator, but with a lot of apps, games in particular, it's hard to accurately show off your app in the simulator.

Check out Reflector. It's great. http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/

nagromme

An obvious addition in hindsight: I'm thinking of how often I go to a browser and search YouTube for an app (games, at least) before I buy it. Hope this becomes widespread!

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