Hello!
It was 1 of January 2009 when I started thinking about participating in iPhone Developer Program. Before I made the final decision I wanted to decide what product I’m going to develop firsts, to succeed. I know everybody is making fun (or used to make fun) of “iPhone people”, that their shiny, new iPhone out of the box, cannot send files via bluetooth. I wanted to make an application which interface looks like like the built-in applications made by Apple, that pretends that users can either send files or messages by bluetooth. So in other words, somebody is laughing at you, because you cannot send files with your iPhone, so you runs my app and proves him, that he is wrong.
Meanwhile the real BT application was released – iBluetooth, of course available only in Cydia. After few weeks of development and polishing my app was finished and I was ready to send it to iTunes. In app’s description on the top of it, there was a strong warning that “It’s only a toy and it doesn’t extend your Bluetooth functionality”.
Guess what Apple – the review team said. Yes you are right, REJECTED:
Unfortunately, your application, iBluetooth, cannot be added to the App Store because it uses standard iPhone screen images in a non-standard way, potentially resulting in user confusion. Changing the behavior of standard iPhone graphics, actions, and images, or simulating failures of those graphics, actions, or images is a violation of the iPhone Developer Program agreement which requires applications to abide by the Human Interface Guidelines.I was really confused trying to figure out what is wrong, so I asked them what I need to improve, and after several days I got new email:
Thank you for your email. Please refer to the email below for more information on the issue. If you believe you can make the necessary changes and would like your application to be considered for the App Store, we encourage you to upload a new binary to iTunes Connect.Very helpful, not. After reading above I started to fix almost everything, changing images, descriptions, adding disclaimers and it didn’t help either. Later I asked the Netherlands iTunes App Store to review my app, but it was rejected as well, for about 6th time now.
Finally I was called by Apple, California and they asked me not to send my app again because it will be rejected anyway. Why? Because it has misleading functionality. Where, why, how? I’ve read all rules andeverything about Human Interface Guidelines and I cannot agree that my bluetooth-toy app is abusing it. Everywhere I could, I put strong warnings that it’s only a toy, not to expect anything more. I wanted to develop the toy, so I did!
I can totaly understand many developers confused after their apps were rejected. I’m not going to get confused any longer. Since today, any app I created, not only to make fun of iPhone disfunctionalities, but others who Apple doesn’t like (3, including Bluetooth) will be posted in Cydia (BigBoss respository).
. Please excuse me for poor graphics.
Since few weaks I’ve been tracking the popularity of sound mix applications.
Are you an optimist? Do you like to laugh all the time?
Let’s tell it straight.
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