iOS The Application Name that you provided has already been used. ...is it?

[milktooth]

So I'm all done and ready to upload my app. I fill out the application name field but hang on, the name's been taken!

Damn, someone's beaten me to it. Or have they? It turns out that my app has a very similar name to another in the store. The other app though shares no other similiarities with mine -- it's a game, whereas mine is a simple utility.

Of course, there is the possibility that someone else has just developed an app with the same name as mine but could it be the similarity to the existing app's name that is causing the problem?

Not revealing too much, if the existing app has a name similar to 'Giraffe Time', mine has the name 'Giraffe Timer'. One is a game featuring giraffes, the other is a utility to time giraffes (at whatever it is they do).

Is my only option to rename the app? Do I have to get a new app ID? Can Apple be persuaded to accept my intended app name?

 

[kroeks]

You could try renaming it yes..
like: The Giraffe Timer
or: TimeGiraffe! haha

or just add v1.0 or so

 

[milktooth]

If I did change the app's name, would I have to get a new distribution profile?

 

[kroeks]

If I did change the app's name, would I have to get a new app ID?

I don't know.. not familiar with that. i personally don't think so..

 

[dejo]

If I did change the app's name, would I have to get a new distribution profile?

Not if it's based on an App ID with a wild-card bundle identifier.

 

[fishkorp]

Just because there is no app in the store with that EXACT name, it doesn't mean the name isn't taken. There was an article a few weeks back about people squatting app names. You can "submit" an app without a binary and it will freeze that name so no one else can use it.