With nearly 204 billion downloads in 2019 worldwide, mobile applications are today an essential growth driver for many companies.
To give them optimal visibility and use, blinds have become entry doors that cannot be bypassed without lastingly affecting their model. However, many project leaders often find themselves helpless in the face of the refusal of certain stores, even though they hoped to see long-term efforts rewarded.
The App Store refuses nearly 40% of all applications sent to Apple. For what reasons? In the rest of this article, we suggest you list the main ones. First and foremost, we must bear in mind that Apple is a company that places customer satisfaction at the heart of its project. Refusals are therefore most often linked to an inability, a failure of your application to meet the needs of potential users.
Presence of bugs in the application
Apple does not allow any bug-prone apps to be published on its App Store. It is explicitly recommended that you “make sure you test your application first and fix any existing bugs”. Apple’s reputation for accepting only functional applications is at stake.
Non-functional links
All of your app’s redirect links should be functional. A link to user support with up-to-date contact information and a link to your privacy policy is required for all applications.
Non-compliant user data access
When requesting permission to access user data, you must describe precisely how it will be used. If, on the other hand, your application code refers to one or more APIs that have access to user data, a key explaining why your application needs this data should be contained in the Info. List file. In this article, Apple details more precisely its requirements in terms of confidentiality and data use.
Non-compliant presentation screenshots
The screenshots that will be displayed to the user at the time of downloading must comply with the criteria and format imposed by Apple. They must also clearly communicate the purpose and functionality of your application.
Lack of information for Apple to test your app
Apple will ask you for all the information required to properly test your app. If some features require a user account, for example, you must provide a valid user name and password that can be used as a demonstration. If, moreover, the use of your application requires special equipment, you may be asked for a test video.
An interface below the standards set by Apple
UX / UI is one of Apple’s core criteria. Quality design and user experience are necessary. To know some good practices you can consult this link.
For example, the screen on the right is invalid here since the size of the text is less than 11pts and does not provide the user with an optimal experience.
Rejection of web content-like applications
It is stipulated by Apple that your application cannot be assimilated to a single Web View intended to publish HTML content, or to a simple collection of redirect links to other Web pages. If so, it will be refused.
Too many similar apps published by one source
If the same developer offers applications whose functionalities are more or less identical each time, Apple will end up refusing their publication on the Store (Guidelines 4.3). It is indeed strongly advised not to “spam” the store with several versions of the same application.
Discrepancy between the description of the application and its actual functionalities
It is necessary that the description of your application corresponds exactly to the functionalities that it presents.
Application payment method that does not meet Apple criteria
If users can subscribe or purchase different products on your app, it is imperative that you fully understand the payment standards imposed by Custom Apple App Developer. Apple thus imposes, in certain cases, the use of in-app purchases and Apple Pay. This is the case, for example, if your application offers digital services. The commission taken by Apple for in-app purchases is 30% the first year and 15% the second year. For small businesses with sales of less than $ 1 million, Apple’s commission is 15% in the first year.
On the other hand, when your app offers physical goods or services, you need to use other payment methods like Stripe. To have in mind some good reflexes you can consult this link.
Moderation and blocking of insufficient content
Applications allowing users to publish content (such as social networks) must make it possible to moderate and block inappropriate publications. For example, it is essential to be able to block users whose content has been reported by other users. You can find the details of the recommendations in section 1.2 of the Guidelines.
Conclusion
Developing an application that meets Apple’s criteria can therefore be difficult and require careful work. It is for this reason that we at Gala rim strive to constantly update our knowledge of the standards and best practices made available by Apple Developer. If you have a mobile application project and need advice or development, you can contact us.