I have an iPhone app (already in the App Store, free download) which requires the user to enter server and login credentials which are provided on a subscription basis. The app has a built-in 'Demo Mode' for prospective customers to evaluate the app, and so far the Apple app review team have always used this mode to approve each version submitted.
The latest version which I'm about to submit has some new features which are not appropriate for use in the Demo Mode and are disabled in this mode. No buttons are greyed out but an alert message is displayed to inform the user 'Not available in Demo Mode'. My question is will this cause a problem with the Apple review team - will it be rejected because of disabled functionality?
A while ago I showed a very similar message to your 'Not available in Demo Mode'.
Apple rejected the app, saying this would negatively impact the user experience!
I would try another approach - even if it's just in the documentation of the app on the info page.
Yes, you should give out the subscribed user credentials in the review notes of the application metadata you fill in while uploading the application, as they need to test the full application to complete their review process. Until the full app is reviewed don't even think of it getting approved and going live.
IIRC, Apple's review guidelines say that Trial or Demo apps will be rejected.
The opposite might be more acceptable. Don't interrupt the user experience by saying that X is disabled or not available in the demo; but say that the app will be enhanced by the availability of X in your advertisement for customers to buy the full mode.
Related
For last few days this cat and mouse game is going on between me and App Store Reviewers. And despite searching everywhere, I have not been able to find an answer to this question, so seeking help here.
I have submitted an app with auto-renewable subscriptions in it.
My app requires that users sign-in in order to see additional options, which includes subscription option as well.
App Store Reviewers keep rejecting my app citing this same text every time:
Regarding 5.1.1, we continue to notice that your app requires users to register with personal information to purchase non account-based in-app purchase products, which does not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines.
To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to make it clear to the user that registering will enable them to access the content from any of their iOS devices and provide them a way to register at any time, if they wish to later extend access to additional iOS devices.
We look forward to reviewing your resubmitted app.
Best regards,
App Store Review
What is non account-based in-app purchase products by the way?
I have also made it clear in my app what App Reviewer have asked above, i.e. make clear to the users that registering will enable them to access the content from any of their iOS devices. I didn't say iOS devices specifically, but said other devices since I'll have the same app on Android devices as well.
While I appreciate App Store Reviewers to help me improve my app, but I am totally lost here. I have submitted two updates to my app but every time it got rejected with the same reason.
Over this period I have also read their guidelines, read many similar cases online, but am still not clear what is required of me here.
Do they want the users to be able to purchase subscriptions even if they are not signed in? If so then technically how does this work? First it'll break the core functionality of the app since without registration I don't have user's info to create an account for them. Secondly how will I know which user purchased the subscription? I have to tie the subscription to the user's account on my backend. This means first I need to create an account for the user before user can purchase a subscription.
Please help me to get this right.
Currently I am waiting App Store's reply and my screens looks like these, with all other options removed when not signed in, and added text bottom of the Sign-In option, and help icon on top right of the screen where there is more information available for the user; and the one when user is signed-in.
If I would be a user of your app, I think I would find this behavior quite odd.
I would expect a login/registration screen when starting your app. If I decide to create an account, the Subscription button would always be visible within the settings.
However, there would also be an option "Continue without registration". If you do not create an account, the settings page could show some info text like "Some features are only available for registered members. Please tap here to create an account". Tapping the corresponding cell would show the registration page that is also shown when starting your app for the first time.
Maybe some users created an account in the past but forgot their passwort? Then they would not be able to restore their purchases, right?
Your login/registration form should also contain a "Forgot Password" option.
My app was eventually approved last year. The change I made was to remove the Subscriptions button from the Settings menu. And move it inside the user profile page. This means that user can see the Subscription option only after signing in and by going to their profile page. While this doesn't make sense to me, but that's how probably Apple wanted it. Subsequent updates to my app were also approved without any problem.
We are planning to submit our iPhone app for certification, but a friend of my suggested that if the application needs the user to login every-time to use the features, then the people at Apple would not certify the application. Can some one please guide me on this.
Its not true, you just need to provide a working username and password during the app submission so that apple can test the features.
You are definitely allowed to require a login for the app to function (I've submitted an app with multiple updates that presents a login screen as the initial dialog and locks the rest of the app until the user logs in).
You need to ensure you create a test account for the reviewer to log in with though, so make sure you provide them with a valid test Username/Password combo when you submit the app for review.
While submitting to appstore there will be option for demo account like Username/password credentials there you can give your credentials to test your application
My app was rejected for requiring a registration by the user before using any features once. I asked for a clarification on the same from the App Review team, stating that my app was based on user data, and cannot proceed without authentication. Also, I updated my review Notes in the itunesConnect to mention the same. And it was accepted. :)
For safe side, You can mention this in the review notes and do not forget to give them a sample username and password!
Good Luck!
Dontwory Your app will not be rejected by Apple. There is no restriction in apple guidelines for this. I have many live apps in app store with same scenario. So you can upload your app with worrying about app rejection.
Hope it helps you.
We have a company account for the iOS developer program.
One of our clients wants to put the app we developed for them up under their own company name, but they've only just sent off for enrollment and as such they want to put the app up under our name until they get their enrollment though.
Is it possible to "swap" the app to their account once theirs is set up?
Thanks
This issue has come up in the past. I know it used to be that you had to get Apple to do this manually, and it took a long time to boot. I imagine they'd like to improve their process for it, and I'd suggest contacting them to ask where they are at with it.
I wouldn't do it. Apple is really slow answering support question so you can easily loose like few months to transfer the app. But it is doable as stated here: Transferring ownership of an iPhone app on the app store
Just got this email from iTunesConnect!
Apps can now be transferred from one developer to another within
iTunes Connect, for example after an acquisition or when a
distribution deal expires. Transferring the ownership of an app does
not affect the app’s availability on the App Store. All ratings and
reviews will be transferred and your customers will continue to have
access to all available app updates.
To transfer an app, go to the app’s App Summary page in the Manage
Your Applications module on iTunes Connect and click Transfer App.
Make sure that:
Your account is active
You have accepted the most current version of your contracts
Your app has at least one approved version
Your app is in the Ready for Sale, Invalid Binary, Rejected, Developer Rejected, or Developer Removed from Sale state
Any associated In-App Purchases are in the Ready to Submit, Ready for Sale, Rejected, Developer Removed from Sale, or Approved
state
You know the Apple ID of the recipient’s Team Agent and their Team ID.
For more information on app transfer, see the video tutorial on iTunes
Connect. To find answers to common questions about app transfer, see
the FAQ on iTunes Connect.
We intend to launch a free iPhone/iPad app on the AppStore.
The content will actually be accessible thanks to a subscription model (login/pwd authentication in iPhone app).
The subscription (about 100$ a month) is handled via a dedicated web server.
If used without subscription, this app will provide minimum value.
Does anyone know if this kind of subscription model can be rejected by Apple ?
I know some apps follow this model, but I'd like to have your thought on this before starting in this direction.
Thanks for your answer.
This is fine AFAIK - As long your app is free and you put in the description that it requires a subscription to whichever service. When you submit the app, you'll need to hand over details to a test account to Apple so that they can test it, but other than that it's no hassle at all.
I know of an app which works just like that on the app store right now - Spotify for iPhone. It's a music playing app which streams music from the web - but you need a Spotify premium account. When you first open the app, you have to sign in, and if you don't have a premium account it just tells you that you're not allowed in!
Javawag
There are plenty of apps which only work if I have an account somewhere, and some for which I have to pay for that account so, without knowing the specifics, there is nothing which immediately rules out your subscription model. There are even Apple apps, iDisk for example, which are useless if you don't have a $100 mobile me subscription.
If there are issues you can look at selling your subscription as an in app purchase (apple will take their 30% which should make them happy) or look at making the app more functional without the subscription.
Either way, when submitting for approval make sure to set up a sample account with a full subscription that the apple testers can use (there is space in the submission for including logins for this kind of thing).
Our app, previously approved, update was just rejected because we sell subscriptions through our website. (We have been doing this for 15 years, without giving Apple 30% of our money.) They are requiring that all subscriptions for iphone/ipad content go through in-app purchasing. I guess we will be looking at building a browser based app instead.
Cheers,
Gerry
I'm building an iPhone app for a restaurant and would like to implement also an administration area that should only be accessible/viewable to approved users (users will be approved on a server).
Will Apple accept an App which has functionalities hidden to the majority of its users?
Thanks,
Miguel
There is a "Review Notes" field when you submit your app to the app store. From iTunes Connect Developer Guide, "Use this field to give demo account information with full access
to Apple for purposes of reviewing your application." You need to provide detail information here. If you don't do this and Apple finds out later the hidden things, then they will remove the app from the app store. You can safely provide information here, as this information is only available to the review team. User won't see that.
They don't like this, and you could get pulled if they found out. When you submit your app you are able to provide information only visible to testers, which could be used to provide a login to your admin service.