Dear Auntie TUAW: AppStore Rejection
Dear Auntie TUAW,
Hi, I've been keeping track of a game that was supposed to be released in the App Store this week called [REDACTED]. Me and many other people are ticked at how Apple spends time approving apps like "I Am Rich" and other pointless apps while they DENIED my app because the toolbar (pen, eraser etc) wasn't at the bottom on the screen!! How pointless is that? Many people have been waiting for this app and it [saddens] us how apple approves tons of pointless apps a day but denies a very nice looking app, all because the tool bar wasn't at the bottom. What are they thinking?!
Love,
Travis
Dear Travis,
Let Auntie TUAW give you a nice cold ice tea. That will help take the heat -- if not the sting -- out of this hot summer rejection for you. Yes, Apple's rejections can be capricious. It hasn't just been you. Yesterday, I heard about an app that was rejected because its use of vibration in game play did not adhere to the (unwritten) understanding that vibration is meant to be an alert feature, not a game enhancement. Apple felt that those poor racers who had just crashed into a wall might be confused by the iPhone vibration and think, perhaps, that they were receiving an alert unrelated to the game -- each and every time they crashed into that wall.
On the bright side, you got your rejection before your App hit the store. When Apple changes its mind after, there's no recourse. So Auntie suggests that you lower your toolbar (and your blood pressure!) and resubmit. Yes, Apple has just pooed on your aesthetic sensibility as an independent developer but they're the only iPhone App distribution game in town.
And remember, even when Apple beats you up, Auntie TUAW still loves you.
Hugs and kissies!
Auntie T.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
VeganTnT said 6:10PM on 8-08-2008
Sounds a lot like Flying Rider to me...
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paul said 6:12PM on 8-08-2008
Dear Travis,
If you're too lazy to adhere to the basic design standards that are clearly laid out to you, then you have to resubmit.
Best wishes,
Common Sense
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potato said 9:56PM on 8-08-2008
Dear Paul:
User interface design guidelines are just that - guidelines. They make sense for the vast majority of cases, but there will always be circumstances where putting, say, the menu bar at the top instead of the bottom would be a better overall experience.
I think the complaint is not so much that he got rejected over a minor UI scuffle, but that this is done while absolutely worthless apps with no redeeming usability (I Am Rich, anyone?) make it all the way through.
belden said 10:18PM on 8-08-2008
Dear Potato:
You are obviously misinformed because this article does not represent the facts accurately. The official reason the app in question was rejected (from the developer himself): "At this time, Flying Rider cannot be posted to the App Store because it exhibits the following issues that need to be addressed.There is no indication that an item has been selected in the tab bar. That is, the displayed icons do not change color or shade to show the current selection status. Also, the tab bar is displayed at the top of the screen rather than the bottom (which is the standard recommended placement)."
Apple has guidelines for a reason. Like you said yourself: "They make sense for the vast majority of cases". I don't see how a Line Rider rip-off is somehow more deserving than any other app being submitted. Additionally, Apple never said they rejected the app because of where the toolbar was, this post just wanted to make you think that was the case. As the developer himself stated, the UI needed to be improved so as not to confuse customers and Apple was trying to help him out.
"but that this is done while absolutely worthless apps with no redeeming usability (I Am Rich, anyone?) make it all the way through." Eight people clearly felt the program wasn't worthless since they purchased it in the short time it was available. And like I keep telling people and they don't seem to want to understand, Apple never said that the apps they rejected (in this case Flying Rider) would never make it to the App Store. As soon as the problems are fixed, they will be released just like everything else. I Am Rich was just one static image, it couldn't have taken long to review and since their were no problems, it was released.
len said 10:46AM on 8-09-2008
Apple fanboys are the house slaves of computerdom.
Why don't you grow a pair, and stop the submissive apologetics? Apple is the new Microsoft. The iPhone is "Trusted Computing" all over again. You aren't rooting for the underdogs, you're cheering as they're getting stomped on.
scorpion919 said 6:16PM on 8-08-2008
release it on cydia
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belden said 8:05PM on 8-08-2008
That would be great advice, except then it would be in clear violation of the terms of selling it on the App Store and wouldn't make any money, which I'm sure is what the developer is really interested in. I mean, why else would you be submitting news about your app to sites like TUAW unless you were hoping to drum up publicity?
Drew Scott said 6:23PM on 8-08-2008
Yep and this article makes me want to stop reading TUAW just as much as the last of its kind did.
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Will said 6:24PM on 8-08-2008
I wish apples standards were a lot more rigorous. there are a zillion apps out there most of which suck and several have crashed my phone. I would prefer (as is apple tradition) a lot fewer, but beter designed apps.
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Tom said 6:54PM on 8-08-2008
I don't think Twitterrific sucks, and it crashes iPhones like any other app.
>Launching the application can cause a restart of the iPhone. All indications at this point are that this is a problem with the iPhone OS and not Twitterrific (it’s happening with other applications.) We are working with Apple to resolve the issue. Please make sure to send any crash reports if prompted by iTunes. No matter how much you beta test, there’s always one problem that slips by—even if you’re Apple.
from http://furbo.org/2008/07/11/known-issues/
Hawkman said 7:45PM on 8-08-2008
Amen, Will. There is too much crud on the App Store, and it takes forever to sift through it all to find the good stuff. If only Apple were anal about every app that has been submitted, I'd love them for it. I would not dream of making any judgement as to whether this particular app deserved the criticism or not without seeing it, of course...
Dale said 10:04AM on 8-10-2008
Yeah, it's odd how EA are allowed to ship the crashy as all get out Scrabble app, while others are pulled up on much tinier issues.
Zach Whitaker said 6:25AM on 8-11-2008
i wonder how the guys at kpcb.com feel about this type of press. they obviously thought the iphone would be worth 12 amazons. i never heard this much bitching about amazon. i hope they and apple are making money on the idea of iphone. it is too bad that they are missing out on the fact that apple is fucking the consumer and developer right and left. they can take their "ifund" and count it someplace else. i was all about buying iphone 3g until i heard all this trouble with developers. they are providing content but apple, kpcb, AT&T, and others are laughing all the way to the bank. i will keep my money out of that piss pot for now. i am actually beginning to feel sorry for switching to a macbook a year ago.
Brian said 6:25PM on 8-08-2008
Paul's right on this one. And please, do consider retiring these 'Auntie TUAW' type posts. Remember, no news is better than bad news..
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Paul Bradley said 6:28PM on 8-08-2008
You guys should change the name of this blog. Almost every post these days is how Apple sucks. Why don't you guys start reviewing software and talking about new hardware like you used to do. I'm tired of hearing you all complain about iPhone stuff. This is an APPLE blog, not the iPhone complaints department!
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p said 5:34AM on 8-09-2008
are you kidding??? this blog could not be any more fanboy! if you consider this silly pretense of a sweet auntie a mode of serious criticism, you must be on crack. they can't even bring themselves to be frank when pointing out apple's mistakes--of which there are many.
Aron T said 6:35PM on 8-08-2008
I for one would like to see some more transparency from Apple on this subject, it's getting kind of ridiculous...
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belden said 6:35PM on 8-08-2008
Again, it needs pointing out but "I Am Rich" was one static image. The review process for it couldn't have taken more than 30 seconds. What possible bugs could it have had? The fact that more complex programs take longer to review DOES NOT mean that they are not eventually going to be approved and for sale in the App Store, it just means that more QC needs to be done on them and there is a greater chance of them getting rejected.
If Apple wants apps to follow a certain style, that's their right. At least they are giving you a reason why they are rejecting your app. They could just say "No thanks" and reject it outright. Also, you said: "they DENIED my app because the toolbar (pen, eraser etc) wasn't at the bottom on the screen". Do we really need ANOTHER touch drawing program in the App Store? What other possible reason could there be for having a pen and eraser toolbar?
If I bought a game and it made my phone vibrate every 5 seconds, I would certainly hope they included an option to disable it. I don't need my battery dying after an hour and my hand going numb. Besides which, have you played MotionX Poker? It seems to have the exact kind of superflous vibration that Apple "supposedly" rejects apps for, so how did it make it through the review process?
Finally, I agree with other commenters, we don't need to be spoken down to with pedantic posts like this.
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Kai Cherry said 9:28PM on 8-09-2008
"If Apple wants apps to follow a certain style, that's their right."
Then maybe they should have written the app in question?
Apple does not fund development of 3rd party developers. Said developers are making apps for THEIR customers...not Apple.
And, to remind folks again, a right is granted by law...it isn't Apple's "right" to dictate what third parties offer their customers.
You know, if some of you people could actually read the terms and limits Apple put on devs with their Doomhammer (the ones no one dare speak of...and they are deplorable, anti-competitive and bordering on criminally/civilly liable...seriously) you'd throw up a little in your mouth at how..."Microsoftian" (or at least, the classic fanboy definition of this is) they are in nature.
You should assume, when reading things about the AppStore and the license to develop for it that there is more than you Joe Random Poster types know about.
One of the reasons there is so much "crapware" in the AppStore is because of the way Apple has set things up; the system pretty much favors and encourages it...marketing pabulum notwithstanding.
-K
Brian said 6:36PM on 8-08-2008
So now folks are CENSORING comments around here? Don't be surprised if your readers pull a McNulty!
repost:
8-08-2008 @ 6:25PM
Brian said...
Paul's right on this one. And please, do consider retiring these 'Auntie TUAW' type posts. Remember, no news is better than bad news..
Reply