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App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

notes.alinpanaitiu.com

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Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#61

Post by xmonkee »

kevingadd wrote: post #3

Mildly frustrating to see the author waste so much time and energy before coming to the correct conclusion: > But I think they just don't like the idea of the app, and no matter what I add to it, they won't accept it. It's awful how gatekeepers usually behave this way instead of coming out and telling you that you should stop and they're never going to approve your product, since that usually is how it works. On the…

>On the bright side if he was actually using Google Sheets as his data backend, Google was going to shut the sheet down permanently eventually and maybe ban the account, so he dodged a bullet.

I thought google encouraged using their google sheets APIs? I'm clearly wrong. Do you have a source for this?

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#62

Post by winkeltripel »

xg15 wrote: post #51
tptacek wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are other products people can buy if they want to install random apps. At this point, everybody knows what the iPhone ecosystem is about.

I don't. Please tell me.

anything running linux, windows 10, or a rootable android device.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#64

Post by jaywalk »

Jonovono wrote: post #9

Yep, I got this rejection when I made this tipping app ( https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tip-69/id1460610078 ). I went on to add OCR detection for receipts so you don't have to type in the amount, I added more tipping modes, I added split bill functionality, and eventually added an entire social network with the ability to share your receipt for the world to see, like or comment on. Must have spent months trying to get…

I have no love for Apple's walled-garden, and I absolutely appreciate 69 jokes, but this app is stupid.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#65

Post by dylan604 »

cowtools wrote: post #47
nate wrote: post #15

Ran into the exact same problem with a very simple camera app I made. Camera app was completely gesture based. So you never had to find a button to quickly flip the camera to the other side of the phone or find the button to start/stop recording. It made using a camera a lot quicker to get multiple shots of a scene and your reaction shot. Also added in stabilization to the front lens, which was easy but wasn't enable…

>Ran into the exact same problem with a very simple camera app I made. >[...] >(Just by posting this, now I fear I broke some kind of TOS, and can never publish an iOS app again?) This is how your loyalty to Apple's racket is rewarded. This is your prize for buying hundreds of dollars of their equipment and paying hundreds to license their development kit and get your software reviewed for their locked-down phones.

> paying hundreds to license their development kit

hundreds or hundred?

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#66

Post by _aavaa_ »

koheripbal wrote: post #34
nate wrote: post #15

Ran into the exact same problem with a very simple camera app I made. Camera app was completely gesture based. So you never had to find a button to quickly flip the camera to the other side of the phone or find the button to start/stop recording. It made using a camera a lot quicker to get multiple shots of a scene and your reaction shot. Also added in stabilization to the front lens, which was easy but wasn't enable…

The real reason is that they don't want more apps. There are too many, so any small independent dev has an uphill battle getting their app approved.

Or they could let the users and developers decide how many apps are too many apps.z

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#67

Post by haunter »

fevangelou wrote: post #53

Out of curiosity, since iOS seems to have a ~20% share in Romania, why not launch on Android first (which makes business sense at ~80% market share)? And if Apple keeps dicking around, at least make it easy for the mobile site to be installed as a web app to iOS homescreens. @Apple Seriously?

Android users are significantly less likely to pay for an app because by default you can install any apk file on Android. Basically piracy is rampant.

On iOS you have to go through the jailbreaking process first to do the same.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#68

Post by cowtools »

dylan604 wrote: post #65
cowtools wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Ran into the exact same problem with a very simple camera app I made. >[...] >(Just by posting this, now I fear I broke some kind of TOS, and can never publish an iOS app again?) This is how your loyalty to Apple's racket is rewarded. This is your prize for buying hundreds of dollars of their equipment and paying hundreds to license their development kit and get your software reviewed for their locked-down phones.

> paying hundreds to license their development kit hundreds or hundred?

I don't know, I'm not a iOS developer and I probably never will be. hundreds is the figure from a couple years ago when I last looked into it.

Re: App Store doesn't accept “too simple” apps

#69

Post by smoldesu »

tptacek wrote: post #41
smoldesu wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Apple has every right to tighten up their first-party App Store, but they should also acknowledge the user's right to install what they want. Maybe some people do want a "too simple" app, and I don't think Apple has the right to tell the user what is-and-isn't appropriate. It's common sense. This would be a great time for them to add a Developer Mode a-la Android, and also start purging their own shopfronts.…

There are other products people can buy if they want to install random apps. At this point, everybody knows what the iPhone ecosystem is about.

Well, the EU is starting to think the iPhone ecosystem is about anti competitive behavior and poor customer experience. The intentions of a multinational corporation are completely irrelevant when talking about the real-world impact on thousands of developers.

The deal is the same as it ever was: Apple can continue selling their extremely safe applications with their extremely secure payment system and state-of-the-art curation team; the only condition is that other shops get to play along too. There's zero downside to them going this route, I think it would allow them to further secure the iPhone by paring back the entitlements allowed for their store. Nobody would criticize them for this, but Apple's greed prevents them from conceding.

Just think about how you'd feel if your Mac could only use the App Store to install software. Personally, I wouldn't even be able to do anything on it if that were the case.

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