Apple in iTunes Connect Developer Guide says:
App Name Expiry
Once you have created your app, and it is in the state Prepare For Upload or Waiting For Upload, you will have 180 days (6 months) from your creation date in iTunes Connect, to deliver a binary to Apple. If you do not deliver a binary before the 180-day deadline, your app will be deleted from iTunes Connect. As a result of this deletion, your app name will be able to be used by another developer and you cannot reuse the app name, SKU or Bundle ID. See the Deleting an App section of this guide to learn more about the ramifications of App Delete.
- What’s the meaning of "deliver a binary"? The app should be uploaded and approved in 180 days or just uploaded for review?
- Is it possible to upload a preliminary binary and set the release date in the future (Availability Date setting within Rights and Pricing), so that before that date I can upload the final binary of my app?
Deliver a binary – this is the zipped and compiled version of your app. This needs to be submitted for approval to apple.
Yes it is, but if you mess apple about then I don’t know if they’ll like it too much.
Basically the rules and what you’re experiencing are there in order to stop people doing what you’re doing, which is basically name squatting. Make the app, submit to itunes connect, upload the binary, get into the apple store. Don’t just sit on names without an app, its not fair on the real developers trying to get real apps out there.