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Apple won't let me show my app

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Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#31

Post by Aurornis »

jonsoini wrote: post #15

There are plenty of legitimate things to criticize the app store review process for but this isn't one of them. Apple is protecting their users and the overall browse experience by enforcing consistency in listings. Your app's screenshots don't really show in the first three screens when they really should, these are the ones that will show up in search, at least until we can add full banners w/ iOS 27. There are all…

Interesting that the comments are almost unanimously in favor of Apple on this one.

I suspect the blog post was an attempt at viral marketing for the app. It worked in some sense, as it’s been on places like the HN front page where this app would normally never be discussed. I’m skeptical that it converts to app downloads, but it might be helping their SEO if it gets shared across the internet enough.

Frustrating for those of us baited into reading it

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#32

Post by karolist »

Jeremy1026 wrote: post #29

I'm going to take the side of Apple on this one. Looking at the screenshots I have no idea what the app does. Screenshot 1: A sheet of paper next to a phone. Is it printer bridge? Screenshot 2/3: Calendar and Reminders. Is it a to-do compiler that pulls from sources that already exist on the device? Screenshot 4: A phone with a date picker. Ok, what about the last day of the month? Screenshot 5: Print your daily plan…

Exactly. I think this may be a trap of solo development without external feedback. You can easily logic your way down a rabbit hole, and without a second set of eyes to call you out, you end up building something that makes perfect sense to you but is completely alien to an uninvested person.

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#33

Post by robotswantdata »

graypegg wrote: post #20

I'm assuming the images on the current listing are the replacement: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wiseday-mentor-yourself/id6752... These are so much more clear. The first image shows the core concept that this generates printable schedules to go on A4 paper, and the very next images shows the print dialog in the app itself. Instantly, I know what this does. Apple pushed you towards a much better app pitch page! I'm…

Did similar. Ordered mini 58mm Bluetooth printer and wrote small service to stream the byteslop as you called it! Worked too well.

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#34

Post by inigyou »

You aren't showing your app. You are just showing your marketing materials by shoving them into the field supposed to have pictures of your app... apple is rejecting them because they are not pictures of your app.

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#35

Post by benoau »

nemothekid wrote: post #21

It's posts like these that make me very unempathetic to developers who complain about Apple. I'm looking at the screenshots, and I can't understand what the app does nor how the new screenshots are representative of app functionality. However, despite having unclear screenshots, the developer blames Apple's malice when they just want to maintain a standard for users. For many of these developers, Apple is just a bull…

The consequence of bad screenshots is nobody will download the app, which is a fate shared by about 80% of apps anyway.

Scammers certainly aren't the ones complaining, they have no emotional attachment to their apps and they're following steps designed to satisfy a superficial review.

> Digging deeper, 9to5Mac found a public GitHub repository containing instructions for a Cursor agent to create simple, vibe-coded apps that serve as fronts for the betting platforms.

https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/17/investigation-reveals-dozens-...

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#36

Post by inigyou »

CodesInChaos wrote: post #7

Two of six screenshots show the app. So the rejection fits the rules and is easy to understand. I often agree with complaints that Apple's rejections are unclear or problematic, but this isn't one of those cases. And I'm kind of confused by these screenshots as well, since there are lines between them, as if they're one screenshot. And the labels over the screenshots are nonsensical and graphically glitched.

It's too bad Apple doesn't require it to be all 6 screenshots must be unedited screenshots.

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#37

Post by inigyou »

fantasizr wrote: post #5

I know it's their job, but gotta feel for these app reviewers who must spend day after day reviewing ai generated apps. The only way to prevent this is to gatekeep that developer license with a higher base fee. Of course the review process was painful before, but it's only gotten more clogged and opaque. Pour one out for anyone whose job has pivoted to reviewing ai output, science journals, literary journals, teacher…

They should ban your developer account without refund after the first vibecoding violation, that would reduce their workload.

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#38

Post by codersfocus »

graypegg wrote: post #20

I'm assuming the images on the current listing are the replacement: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wiseday-mentor-yourself/id6752... These are so much more clear. The first image shows the core concept that this generates printable schedules to go on A4 paper, and the very next images shows the print dialog in the app itself. Instantly, I know what this does. Apple pushed you towards a much better app pitch page! I'm…

The live store version is the initial app, i.e. those screenshots are the ones to be replaced by the ones in the blog post.

I agree the old first image (with the hands pulling out the page) could be better (in terms of clarity) than what I am going with for the new launch (just the plan next to a phone.) My thinking was the new one being a bit more vague to catch someone's eye as they browse, so they stop and look.

Thermal printers are way too niche I think, plus the PFAS exposure on that paper is supposed to be insane, and aren't they much smaller plus harder to write on with a pen?

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#39

Post by codersfocus »

owldown wrote: post #18

Looking at what is on the website and in the App Store, I still don’t have a good understanding of what this app even does. It prints something based on your calendar and some self-help prompts? App Store rules aside, since this app has no free trial, it should be easier for a potential customer to understand what this app is attempting to be.

It definitely has a free trial, and yeah it prints 3 tools:

* a timeline which pulls in your calendar (you can use this to timebox as well as timetrack.)

* a daily list of prompts, which are scheduled using recur rules (which you can generate using natural language.) a prompt is useful for lots of things, which is the hard part of explaining it

* a list of your reminders for the reminders app, which can also work like a lighter version of prompts and/or todos.

Basically this app combines digital and paper planning and journaling into one page that's easier to carry and more useful than anything else (imo.)

Re: Apple won't let me show my app

#40

Post by graypegg »

codersfocus wrote: post #38
graypegg wrote: post #20

I'm assuming the images on the current listing are the replacement: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wiseday-mentor-yourself/id6752... These are so much more clear. The first image shows the core concept that this generates printable schedules to go on A4 paper, and the very next images shows the print dialog in the app itself. Instantly, I know what this does. Apple pushed you towards a much better app pitch page! I'm…

The live store version is the initial app, i.e. those screenshots are the ones to be replaced by the ones in the blog post. I agree the old first image (with the hands pulling out the page) could be better (in terms of clarity) than what I am going with for the new launch (just the plan next to a phone.) My thinking was the new one being a bit more vague to catch someone's eye as they browse, so they stop and look. T…

I personally think the ones you have on there right now are great! The hand pulling the schedule out of the printer 100% describes the cool thing your app does over other journaling/calendar apps! You need a printer to fully benefit from it, so it makes sense to show one.

I think apple has an issue with the lack of screenshots in the new images, which in the current version are present and self-explanatory. The second one being a screenshot of the print dialog, confirms the way this app works. In terms of clarity, you already nailed it in my book. Getting folks to stop and think is easier with an obvious face-blast of "hey!! this does X cool thing" as long as the people that like X exist (they do, source: me) versus trying to capture people with "hmmm... what does this mean?"... the reality is that only YOU care about your app. Being curious is a time investment you're hoping other people make. Throw 'em a bone with "the cool thing" right away.

I will say, I love the "best X at Y film festival"-esque laurel branch award on the first image in the new set. "1000+ agendas printed" comes off as a bit self-deprecating in a fun way that is endearing. I am slightly worried that might come off negatively in this comment, but I genuinely think it's cute, and made me smile. An app with a focus on shaping your mindset should celebrate the little wins!

And yeah, thermal printers are niche haha, just tossing it out there. I am simply fuelled by lubricious sheen of PFAS coursing through my veins.

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