'Ordinary' Amazon (for example) affiliate links in an iPhone app?

Question

Are you allowed by Apple to put ordinary HTML links (Amazon affiliate link) in an iPhone app?

So, an ordinary HTML affiliate link, of the form:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G3L158Q/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1234&creative=1234&creativeASIN=B00G3L158Q&linkCode=as2&tag=xxxx0&linkId=123412341234

Just to be clear, I simply mean from the iOS app, it would open the browser from the app. (Not inside a UIWebView inside an app - simply opening the browser on the phone.) Is this allowed by Apple?

Mobley

Good question, I don't see why not? Putting a link to an URL isn't exactly breaking rules. – Litre

You know, Apple have a lot of complicated rules about stuff like selling in apps. I've searched, but have not found the answer for "html that happen to be affiliate links". It does seem hard to believe they could control that - but who knows? – Mobley

Hehe...you never know?!!! Maybe search around for how apps "sell products" via other means (i.e. not via a direct URL). I presume the rules would be the same? – Litre

Definitely a grey area - no specific rule against this, and I can't imagine it taking away from the UX at all that it would warrant a rejection. I think in some cases this may serve as a better revenue model than ads! – Milkfish

Answer 1

If you are trying to sell something for your app itself which it appears you are not doing, would be violating rule 11.2:

Apps utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App will be rejected

There is no specific rule against leading to purchase something, unless it is mandatory for your app. There is definitely no rule against putting links into your app, I have apps that have links that lead to websites.

You should be fine.

Ceroplastics

I'm pretty sure it's not allowed by Amazon though. – Blackcock