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Here's Why Apple Rejected Your iOS App
Nerval's Lobster writes Everybody knows that Apple runs a tight ship when it comes to approving iOS apps for its App Store, rejecting software because it features porn, allows gambling, installs types of executable code, etc. But Apple also denies apps for some pretty esoteric reasons, many of which are only just coming to light. Want to have an App that uses GPS to automatically control a real-world aircraft or automobile? Sorry, that's not allowed, presumably because Apple doesn't want iOS to serve as a drone controller. (Imagine the liability issues.) Also, apps that report your location to emergency services are forbidden, as well as any that misspell Apple product names ("iTunz" will never make it through, no matter how much you beg). Even if Apple's not sharing the exact reason why it just rejected your app from its store (what the heck does "Not enough lasting value" mean?), you can check out Apple's own page on the top reasons for iOS app rejections."
Seriously, I'd get it if some other site had just for whatever reason done a big write up on this. But a shameless dice self post! That's just shitty.
This is an ancient topic, and we all figured this stuff out a while ago. It basically comes down to:
- rejected if the app is poorly made
- rejected if the app is offensive or controversial
- rejected if the app is stupid or pointless
- rejected if the app competes in an arena that apple cares about
Yes we can all piss soup about the 4'th one, but I don't think many people are actually blindsided by it. If you write something that apple also does, you are at least in risky territory and probably know it. Not saying this is a good thing, and it's one of the many reasons I refuse to use apple, but it's at least no great mystery.
I'm not a fan of apple's walled garden at all, but it's their walled garden, and for the most part they seem reasonable about it (again, with the possible exception of number 4, which is what it is).
A list of weird cases _might_ have been interesting, however the only one they listed is the one in the summary.
Don't the fine folks at dice have anything better to do? The beta source tree isn't going to purge itself from existance!
Funny a long-awaited APM drone controller app was just approved yesterday.
https://itunes.apple.com/app/mav-pilot/id649233096
Someone hasn't heard of Parrot, who make some of the best consumer drones there are, which are all controlled by iOS devices running apps that are available on the App Store.
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
Submission is as thin as saran wrap on a toilet seat, and just as desirable.
I clicked on the link (without looking at the source) expecting to find stories of all sorts of apps that were rejected for unexpected reasons. The tease was GPS to automatically control a real-world aircraft or automobile. The trouble was .. that was also the only paragraph in the story that mentioned something like that (well ok it also mentioned emergency services) and all that was buried at the end of the article. The rest of the content was a top list from Apple explaining where people go wrong.
Not news and known to anyone who develops iOS apps, and even if you don't develop iOS apps .. the top reasons are still obvious.
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Obviously, Apple doesn't apply their own guidelines to their iOS 8.x apps. My user experience with their apps on an iPad 2 is clunky at best, taking more CPU cycles than necessary to do the same task in iOS 7.
Fine by me, that way I only gotta port it to one platform. Should also make support easier. So if you want my app, get Android. If you don't have one, sucks to be you.
Seriously, I won't bend over backwards just to appease the maker of some hardware. It's not like I depend on the sales. You offer me a platform I want to develop on and I will develop for it. It's not the other way 'round.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Yeah, I never heard of them before either. Are they some Samsung knockoff?
Nah, just a Xerox knockoff.
Duh, they're the guys who made all those Beatles albums.
SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
1. Proprietary Software/Closed Source
2. NSA Spying
3. Corporate Spying
4. Cannot (easily) change battery on IPhone
5. Proprietary power/data cables on IPhone
6. In the 80's, unlike my TRS-80, Apple computers required a boot disk just to fire up.
7. Steve Jobs is a weiner (Wozniak, by comparison, is a minor deity).
Political correctness is really just herd psychology pushed by insecure people who desperately seek social conformity.
http://apple.slashdot.org/story/14/09/02/1335258/apple-reveals-the-most-common-reasons-that-it-rejects-apps
Yeah but that wasn't a dicevertisment!
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All those billions of iPhone users won't have access to your critically super-important app, left only to make due with the literally 1 million other apps that are available on Apple's app store.
And think of Apple, having to wallow in misery that your app isn't available to their customers; forced to lead a hopeless existence of swimming in their hundreds of billions of dollars like Scrooge McDuck while not even knowing that you or your breathlessly important app even exist.
Including stuff that didn't meet their "moral" standards, stuff they want no competitors on and stuff they just don't like...
Come develop your shit for Windows 8 phone then, where the app store is completely unmoderated and unfiltered. Where the top app is "Google Hangout Features" which tells you Google hangouts lets you chat.
You don't even have to check the links. The submitter is Nerval's Lobster, Slashdot's Dice-bot.
I automatically bypass any submission from Nerval's Lobster; they're always just Dice-bait. The inclusion of any non-Dice links in the summary are just packing material to deliver the Dice clickbait payload.
Repeated Submission of Similar Apps Submitting several apps that are essentially the same ties up the App Review process and risks the rejection of your apps. Improve your review experience â" and the experience of your future users â" by thoughtfully combining your apps into one.
This would explain why there's 500 flashlight/text-scrolling/mirror apps.
Reading comprehension fail. The rejection reason is a single developer submitting multiple apps that are essentially the same.
None of this would be an issue if Apple would allow for alternative stores. Even these could be filtered to some point.
Apple can run their store however they want, but having to jailbreak my phone to install a competitor to iTunes seems like anti competitive behavior.
It's not an issue. Go buy an Android phone or Windows phone.
Here is a link to a site that _really_ knows everything about app store guidelines and rejection reasons:
https://developer.apple.com/ap...
You don't even have to check the links. The submitter is Nerval's Lobster, Slashdot's Dice-bot.
I just checked his profile and gave up before I could find a submission that did not contain a Dice link
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Or a Xerox copycat?
Ezekiel 23:20
That's why it's rejected. Apple already tracks location, so adding other 3rd-party tracking apps is not allowed, for competing with the built-in functionality. "Emergency services" is a red herring thrown in to incite the dim witted.
Learn to love Alaska
One thing that that article didn't mention was that App approvial is mostly automated. That's why so many garbage apps get in (Apps that just display a single jpeg, or Apps that are just repackaged game demos).
> "Could you possibly be more of a cliche?"
...no company has made more of a stand against the NSA than Apple
No. The obvious has already been stated.
1. "Do you plan on protesting outside of GE and Ford?"
Yes, I'm looking into building a Tabby (https://www.osvehicle.com/tabby-info/) and live off-grid. Corporations, for the most part, are evil and should be shunned from our society.
2a. "Do you realize that the NSA is actually not the same as Apple?"
You mean NSA doesn't stand for "Naturally Sweetened Apples"?
2b.
Really? I'll bet that their "stand" has more to do with protecting profits than people? Do you work for Apple?
3. Self explanatory (this is the 21st century).
4. "..political party--pick the product you want, you don't need to march on Washington.."
Dude, it's a battery. Relax. Some of us don't want to have to send our phone back to the manufacturer to change the battery. Has nothing to do with politics. And no, I don't own an Iphone. I don't want one. For reasons already stated.
5. Ditto.
6. "It's not actually true because the TRS-80 did require a boot disk."
Your ignorance is astounding. Obviously you didn't own one.
Here is the screen that you appeared when you turned the machine on WITHOUT a boot disk:
http://www.weihenstephan.org/~...
7. what is it with wannabe nerds and their geek-hero worship?
Sorry, this is Slashdot. Maybe you should head over here instead. I hear Goofy is pretty lonely these days.
Political correctness is really just herd psychology pushed by insecure people who desperately seek social conformity.
| None of this would be an issue if Apple would allow for alternative stores
They do. You can set-up an Enterprise store.
However, it is only for your own Enterprise. Currently, you can't even have an app that is for use by, say, clients or suppliers to some Enterprise.
I expect this policy to change. I think that the purchase of TestFlight is a precursor.
No, I don't expect to see "alternative stores" for the public. But I think they will be more flexible about Enterprise apps, such that partners can use the apps as well.
Also, apps that report your location to emergency services are forbidden
... because that is *exactly* what this app does as it's only purpose. 112 is the emergency number in most of Europe, and the app is the official danish app for reporting your location to the emergency service.
https://itunes.apple.com/dk/ap...
It seems to be official and made by government institutions here in DK.
I don't have a TV anymore so I haven't seen it as a public service announcement, but they might have aired it, I don't know.
(not in english) https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Denmark’s official 112 app is developed by The Danish National Police, Copenhagen Fire Brigade and The Danish Geodata Agency. It is financed by TrygFonden.
With Denmark’s official 112 app you can call the emergency center and simultaneously send the GPS-coordinates of the cell phone. That way you can get help faster.
- The 112 app is operational only in Denmark
- The 112 app does not send any GPS-coordinates, if the GPS on the cell phone is deactivated
- The 112 app can only send GPS-coordinates in locations with data connection.
If your battery level is lower than 25 % the 112 app will make the call to the emergency center, but it will not send any GPS-coordinates. This is to make sure, that you can talk with the emergency center without running out of battery. The 112 app will also automatically stop sending GPS-coordinates, if your battery level gets below 25 % during your call.
You can read more about Denmark’s official 112 app at www.112app.dk (Danish)
Read more about when to dial 1-1-2 at www.112.dk (Danish)