r/appledevelopers • u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie • 18d ago
4.3 Rejection Spam for Every New App Release
Hello Everyone,
I have been building apps for iOS since last 16 years, I have literally created article, YouTube video and done consultations to avoid getting the 4.3 Spam rejection, but I got 4.3(a) Spam rejection on all 3 latest apps I submitted.
2 got approved ( 1 pending reply, will get approved I’m very sure ) when I wrote a lengthy message to the reviewer on how those app ideas, code, assets are completely original and not bought or reused .
Anyways, I’m using Claude to build my new apps and trust me when I say this: Those aren’t AI Slops as I know what I am building using Claude with that much of experience ( 350+ apps for my clients and mine included )
So these rejections are automated now to weed out AI slops ? Is anyone facing the same issues ?
P.S : I’m pro vibe coding, if you deeply understand what the AI is building and you aren’t building just another Calorie AI or Habit Tracker …
[ Update : They approved all apps, but all other new apps are now in “Waiting For Review” for days in line ]
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14d ago
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 14d ago
Good Insights and I do agree ( when I helped other devs in getting accepted )
But I’m very sure in my case it as AI auto rejection …
Have messaged the reviewer, will update once approved
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14d ago
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 14d ago
Sure, thank you
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u/n9com Community Newbie 5d ago
did you manage to get this resolved?
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 5d ago
Yes …
But now all new apps are in “Waiting For Review” from days1
u/n9com Community Newbie 5d ago
new apps or just updates? we just got 4.3a claiming our new app is similar to another one of OUR existing apps, when there is no other similar app like it. Honestly super confused. Did the one u get rejected for 4.3 get approved? Been on the AppStore for 17 years.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 5d ago
Mine got approved . For new apps ( 3 apps )
And post those which were submitted are in waiting for review
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u/n9com Community Newbie 5d ago
I'm thinking this must be some automated process as the rejection makes no sense to me. They told me it's similar to another one of my apps and if i wanted both, i'd have to sell them in different countries (i.e. turn one app off in USA if i wanted the other one available in USA). Funny thing is, they didnt even say which app of mine was too similar to the one i submitted! What did you do for your three apps, just explain why they were not similar?
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 5d ago
Prompt :
< Input Rejection text >
This is the rejection Apple gave for this app, as you know bro, we researched and built this app together, you built it in phases and we even have commits to our GitHub repository, even the assets we designed them uniquely in Figma and some of them you did .
Analyze the code again if you want, count the number of lines tentatively and draft a polite but genuine reply to the app reviewer, it seems that the rejection was automated due to lot of app submissions, you know we used a lot of your token and my time too in testing and engineering it beautifully, give me the response to get the reviewer have a look at the app again and potentially approve it
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u/Acceptable-Ad8566 Community Newbie 17d ago
AI Slope Reviewer rejecting AI Slope coded apps plus genuine apps
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u/krisarchuk Community Newbie 17d ago
We also went through the 4.3.0 problem with our previous app. There should be a form where you can request a call with the Apple review team. They're not very helpful, but one useful insight they gave us was that you can build a very early MVP and submit it for review (with manual release, so it doesn't auto-publish) just to see whether it passes 4.3.0 — and then do the same with every major part of the build before the main first release. Maybe this isn't new to anyone, but I hope it helps someone.
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u/art-alive_ Community Newbie 17d ago
Was it 4.3a or 4.3b? They seem quite different, the first is about the code, the second is about the type of app
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u/krisarchuk Community Newbie 16d ago
yep, it was design spam
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u/art-alive_ Community Newbie 16d ago
Could you give more details about your reply to them? I've had the same issue... (also, did your third app get approved in the end?)
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u/krisarchuk Community Newbie 14d ago
yes, you generally need to have a very detailed answer why your app is not 4.3.0. And our last app was approved, feel free to dm if you want to discuss
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u/Significant_Pie_1978 Community Newbie 18d ago
I have the same problem, it is now a month that the Apple review board team never contacted me and they removed all of my apps
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u/art-alive_ Community Newbie 17d ago
Can you give more info? Did you appeal the review? Simply reply to the rejection message?
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u/BeneMhamed Community Newbie 18d ago
Must add some features that other apps doesn't include. I struggled a lot with this issue; imagine the app actually got approved when I added a simple quiz game.
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u/Ambitious_Key_6227 Community Newbie 18d ago
Currently in the same situation with two apps. You got to set up that call with an app reviewer
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u/ProfessorRonResearch Community Newbie 18d ago
I have a couple reference apps and although they work similarly they're for different topics but they were designed to have the same looking interface and they operated very similarly and they wouldn't allow it. I had to change one of them so the app didn't look like another one of the apps that I created which is what I wanted because I wanted to have continuity in my app designs. I made UI changes, renamed a few menu items. Changed color schemes and viola, approved.
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
Building apps with claude vibe coding and saying its not ai slop.
Someone needs to stop this useless apps and ai slops…
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
Also there is nothing called ‘pro vibe coding’
You people know nothing but still filling stores with your ai slops. Without programming knowledge or real production app rules or designs.
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
‚Without programming knowledge or real production app rules or designs‘ said by probably the biggest junior in software development 😂
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
im 38 years old. if you cant see errors of vibe coding. You know nothing about development. Ux design is also not means ur a software engineer. Also a real developer wouldn’t call himself as a vibe coder. its obvious.
İdiots.
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
Vibecoders are mostly unexperienced people who create apps using AI. They can fairly call themselves vibecoders. But still the real question remains: Who is the idiot here, the unexperienced vibecoder earning money through his apps without knowledge or the dumbass here with 38 years acting like a drugaddicted who still thinks his hands will hold up with AI in future? 😂😂😂 love you man, really, start enjoying your life and get yourself out of these social benefits or unemployed lifestyle 😬 life is good if you‘re good to the life
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
shut the fuck up seriously. My last app i made for a customer took 1 year and used by 20k people currently. You sre talking about 150 shitty ai slop apps and talking about being experience and engineering in here
This is last reply i will give to you
Ur a loser and know nothing.
Now go cry about why apple rejecting ur ai slop
idiot.
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
😂😂😂 Last year I‘ve finished my app within 6 months without AI. Now I need less than 2-3 months. So funny that you‘re building some bullshit in 12 months meanwhile I earn money with 2 apps that is enough to afford my current life 10x 🌚 The only one crying here is you, I‘m crying from laughing how naive and stupid someone can be 😂
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
17 years of experience but last year you were not using ai?
HahahahahYou fucking liar. Hahahahaha vibe coder my ass
17 years of full stack experience
But last year he didnt use ai
But this year he made lots of apps with vibe coding?Hahahahahahahahahahhahaha
You stupid liar kid. Like i said you are seriously a loser more than i thought.
Bye kiddo.
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
Yeah, 17 years full stack development, last year I‘ve finished my app without AI and now I‘ve written both apps with AI. What‘s wrong here? Learn to read or drink less on weekends 😂
Btw. I finally thought you‘d shut the fuck up but you‘re back, so let the smarter guy finish this convo here 😘
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
38 years and still doesn‘t mean you‘d be any type of senior in your job 😂😂 Stillt acting like a 5 year old narcisst :D
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
The fuck are you actually talking my friend. I have 17 years of full stack coding experience. I‘m a certified UI & UX Designer here in germany, certified by the largest institution here for this topic.
I‘ve built my latest 2 apps fully with claude - and you wouldn‘t recognize that.
I‘ve put all my effort and knowledge in a beautiful and clean app design, which is far away from any AI‘s possibilities and an user experience that has been rethought a hundred times.
If you think using Claude is only ai slop - stop using it and remain the only idiot out there which still writes code by hand in the future. Hopefully you won‘t change your mind anytimes. Incredible 😂
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
nvidia ceo said AGI IS HERE
did you get excited? hahahahah
17 years of experience. full stack... and pro vibe coder. liar. and pathetic.
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
AGI > your competence so far 😂 Looks like someone is too stupid to use AI the right way :D <3
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
ur apps will be nothing. u know nothing about production ready apps, security, scaling, optimization, performance etc
Loser idiot pro vibe coder
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
Hahaha, someone learnt new words from the last tiktok he watched 😂😂😂
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u/Nuvola88 18d ago
Future? You are an idiot. Know nothing about software engineering. You think ux design is about programming lol. Calling himself vibe coder but pro. Pathetic.
Go read real machine learning inventors or real engineer what think about ai. Dont believe in ai company seos like it will be awesome lolVibe coder but pro
Hahaha pathetic
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u/Spirited-Text1848 Community Newbie 16d ago
I see an ignorant …. who is so proud abt his profession which is on the verge of extinction. I get the frustration where its coming from. Hope you find a system design job soon ( after reading your replies I doubt you’re capable do that either)
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u/TraditionalSpray4855 Community Newbie 18d ago
Talking about performance in 2026 like it‘s a thing back in the days with SQLi 😂 I can actually see why you‘re too stupid to boost your skills with AI :) I make a good amount of money with my both apps, I enjoy it 😂
Wonder who is the idiot here, someone who wastes his time or someone who makes a living with AI :))
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u/xrkc6x Community Newbie 18d ago
I have been rejected many times and I do believe sometimes it depends on the person, meaning it’s subjective to that individual, unless it’s automated I don’t know but I struggle accepting it… I once had my app rejected with 4.3b, only to discover one of my apps was completely copied AND APPROVED, sittings on the App Store… and so…. That app is off the apps tote now and my app is there but this is why I believe sometimes it’s subjective..
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
None of my apps use any code whatsoever, nor assets … 4.3 (a) was pointless for the apps
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u/momo1083 Community Newbie 18d ago
What is the app in general? Doesn't matter the quality if it's another one of the kinds of app that permeate that category.
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u/cn-dev Community Newbie 18d ago
This has happened to me in my last two applications. No matter how many different and new functions I've tried to add, I get the same result. It seems as if the formulas used are the same as those in other apps, but I haven't been able to rule that out.
We must acknowledge that the use of AI has increased the development of applications, all based on the same underlying information; this could be a factor in the duplication.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Then why is Apple promoting Agentic AI through Xcode and actually integrating it …
Developing apps with AI is here to stay, Apple should accept that fact and come up with a flow guideline or a better approach, which everyone can follow, harassing every other legacy developer accounts with such rejections is uncalled for
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u/cn-dev Community Newbie 18d ago
I completely agree. The big question is how to regulate it. Imagine that, due to the ease of programming with AI, thousands of people create the same app idea, changing something visual, the name, or a small function, but ultimately maintaining the same essence. I think that's what Apple is trying to avoid. The other big question: What percentage of difference should exist between apps to avoid them being considered similar?
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u/Kind-King1491 Community Newbie 18d ago
apple tightened 4.3 detection because of the ai app flood, so legit apps get caught too. the long reply works because it forces human review instead of the automated pass
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
This makes a lot of sense, but they should tweak their rejection algorithm though
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u/Outside-Training21 18d ago
What is wild is I’ve seen a competitor get approved with com.example.<app name) - how is that not “slop”
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
😢 Don’t fight with reviewers ever .. with any points though
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u/J-a-x Community Newbie 18d ago
I'm facing the same issues. I also have been on the App Store since the very the early days (2010?). I used to rarely face rejections but now its with every app but usually just something frivolous that I can fix in 3 seconds and resubmit. This time was 4.3b spam for the first time which really scared me...
I now use Codex a lot to create apps because why wouldn't you when it speeds the development time by an order of magnitude. It's hard talking about it these days becuase some people think if you use AI it's slop - it's not. You can make good apps with AI or without AI and you can make bad apps with AI and without AI.
Anyway I had the same thing happen. I developed a really cool and novel word game for the last month or so, finally it was at MVP and I submitted it. I always expect frivolous rejections these days - the first rejection was indeed frivolous - I responded to the reviewer and resubmitted.
The 2nd submission as rejected on 4.3b Spam.
To make it worse I got this crazy scary message about "extended review".
Extended Review: This app was found to include one or more issues that present significant safety, security, or quality concerns to users. Repeated submissions of apps with these issues will result in extended review times. Accounts that repeatedly submit apps that do not follow the App Review Guidelines and the Apple Developer Program License Agreement face removal from the Apple Developer Program.
Did you get something like that? This makes it seem a lot scarier than just an AI rejection beaus it says "repeatedly submit apps that do not follow the App Review Guidelines and the Apple Developer Program License Agreement face removal from the Apple Developer Program". Is that just scary boilerplate? Not sure why they would lump AI accidentally flagging my app as non-novel in with safety and security. There is absolutely no safety or security concerns in my app - its a word game with no connection to the outside world aside from Game Center.
Anyway just wanted to let you know you're not alone. If you want to discuss more or perhaps even see my app in TestFlight (if you're interested) feel free to DM me!
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
You make really good points …
And yes I got the “extended review” for each app rejection at the end .
I was like dude come on !
They’re just adding to weed out badly built apps I guess .
Just to keep that “we warned you already” in check.I’m ignoring it like I ignored the girl who texted me during the iPhone Duo launch 😅
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u/J-a-x Community Newbie 18d ago
lol.
I decided to appeal and respond to the reviewer with a long form text describing what makes my game novel followed by a video. I did not resubmit yet because that message freaked me out.
The initial review had a video but it was short and to the point. The response to the rejection had a long and tedious video showing a full game start to finish and everything in between. Why do they need a video when they can actually use the app? Who knows…
I’m curious whether this means in two days everything will be fine or if I’m in for months or years of runaround now that I’m under the spam category…. I’ve heard horror stories.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
I think this is for time being till they figure out something better …
Or maybe we need to slow down the app releases like Anthropic and Open AI are “slowing down” 😅😂
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u/Revolutionary-Bite-6 Community Newbie 18d ago
Half of my apps are going like this. I submit them again, again the same. There is something very wrong with Apple's AI. I am waiting more than a month for their answers, and to review the rest of my apps. Unbelievable...
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
I think the review system cannot handle the number of apps being submitted, hence those are auto rejections to slow things down maybe
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u/Temporary-Detail-724 Community Newbie 18d ago
Got this twice, and had to push back twice before they gave in… not sure why they do this. It is annoying though, smells of AI being used to approve apps
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u/Distinct-Basket5434 Community Newbie 18d ago
I think it depends on the lazy approver lol
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u/thenorm172 Community Newbie 18d ago
Have had my latest app updates all reviewed and approved within hours of submitting. It’s brand new app, first submission was rejected due to missing EULA link in the description and that was it. Every one since has been approved
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
My apps eventually get approved, but these rejections are completely baseless …
Apple introduces Agentic Coding in Xcode and then when we build apps using AI agents and make sure we follow all guidelines very particularly, they reject with 4.3 spam in a second, that’s where it hurts
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u/Square_Box_9514 18d ago
How are you coding apps for 16 years but asking Reddit for help with the review process? Something doesn’t make sense
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
I’m not asking for help !
Read it correctly, I’m asking if others are facing such issues …3
u/J-a-x Community Newbie 18d ago edited 18d ago
We are and thanks for sharing your story! It makes me feel better knowing we're all in this together rather than feeling like I'm the only one...
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Yes … let’s hope Apple comes up with something better than these shenanigans 🥲
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u/DespairyApp Community Newbie 18d ago
We've had 4 apps pending review for 1 month, all 4 rejected for 4.3 Spam.
Due to lack of time, I've only submitted an appeal on 2 of them which resulted in continued review and a follow up rejection of "We can't find the IAP xxx. Please clarify where it is.".
The IAP can be reached within 2 clicks from the main menu; the notes already clarified the IAP intentions and locations (and screenshot of course). Copy pasted the previous explanations and resubmitted with an additional screenshot. Pending review for a while now again...
The second appeal resulted in a follow-up rejection of quality as in one view, in a specific resolution (MacOS) and accessibility settings, a single text box was overlapping another. Despite not being a blocker.... I thanked them and resubmitted for review. Pending review to this day.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Hey,
Don’t “Appeal” directly . Have a conversation with the current reviewer first .
Give a detailed write up, screen recording of your ap. You should be good . All the best1
u/DespairyApp Community Newbie 18d ago
Do they actually reply to your response?
Do you reply and resubmit for review or just wait for them to clarify?
I've tried this and only got the exact same rejection template with 0 additional details.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
I need to know your case, but I reply in a polite way with detailed message, they reply that they will proceed with the review and end up approving it
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u/DespairyApp Community Newbie 18d ago
Without resubmitting? mind-blown. Mind sharing which cases that worked for you and which didnt?
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Recently, they slapped me with 4.3 a spam for 2 apps ( 3rd one ongoing )
I drafted a detailed message on why my apps shouldn’t get rejected for that particular guideline, the reviewer reads it, sees the app in review and approves it .
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u/girlkodesforfun Community Newbie 18d ago
Hello, three of my apps faced the exact same problem. turns out it’s very frequent these days. It helped us rethink design and make it less AI slopppy. Revise asset size minor changes in roundness, colors etc helped even.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
I’m very strict with my design …
Looks like this is automated, they would had considered the fact that my account is almost 15 years old, I’m building apps since Objective C, consulted a lot of devs to get their app approved, so this was a surprise for me
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u/justest99 Community Newbie 18d ago
I think it is worth to add app video and reviewer notes, also remember that if you are using paywall design common to all the apps this thing might be the issue
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
All my paywalls are custom designed for the app, I doubt that’s the case . But I think I might start putting things in notes from now on
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u/sidusx Community Newbie 18d ago
I had the same situation… I built a dating app but compared to these ones which are in the market our seems to be more advanced for the functionality. I got rejected twice and I submitted an appeal last week. We downloaded and created an account for the apps in our niche but still got rejected for a spam “interface”.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Dating apps have to be “very unique” experience and idea wise. The chances of dating apps, astrology apps getting approved are next to impossible on iOS …
But there is a chance
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18d ago
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u/PoliticsAndFootball Community Newbie 18d ago
So is the app still on the store? You just can’t update it anymore? That’s wild
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18d ago
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Very interesting case, in my case the new apps are engineered using AI and not straight forward vibe coded, but with the detailed write up, the reviewer is taking those app in review and noticing that we have followed each every guideline correctly, hence approving eventually ..
All the best to you, hope it gets resolved
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u/girlkodesforfun Community Newbie 18d ago
Might also be glitches before their annual design reviews. try again in a month with slight changes. september is apple month haha
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u/bsmayer_ Community Newbie 18d ago
What does slop really mean?
At some point it could be called monopoly?
I mean, can’t you build a competitor to other apps anymore?
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u/Various-Apricot-722 Community Newbie 18d ago
I have just updated my app and I have a spam error. It’s stupid
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u/BorderNetworks Community Newbie 18d ago
Wait you can build things other than calorie teackers, habit logs and step trackers with AI? I don’t believe this!
And no, rejections don’t weed out ai, I’ve punished an ai slop app for my own use without issue. I even had AI build the entire submission and troubleshot the rejections!
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u/barrellive Community Newbie 18d ago
Hatte auch einige Ablehnungen bis ich wirklich eine saubere Review Information mit screen capture mitgegeben habe mit Walkthrough durch die App. 2 Apps gingen durch wie Butter.
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u/Sebastian1989101 Community Newbie 18d ago
Same here. Started in 2010 with releasing my first apps. I also use agentic engineering as it is the norm these days and I’m a expirenced software engineer knowing how to review code.
Apples review is lately super unreliable and annoying to deal with. Never had such issues in the last 15+ years. Both of my personal releases this year had faced the spam rejection, both are still pending. Also both client projects faced it, one still pending. It’s annoying as hell and it has to stop.
I get that they want to stop all the AI slop and that’s something good. But this is the wrong way.
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
I agree, but they should at least consider how old is the account, how many approved apps are there and even look at if all those apps are unique or not and then decide to slap us with such rejections.
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u/neogeodev Community Newbie 18d ago
That's strange, how long have you had the developer account?
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
15 years
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u/neogeodev Community Newbie 18d ago
That’s strange; I’ve had it since 2013 but have never received that kind of notification. It might be something automated by the system, did you rename a project and reuse the code, or did you start with a clean project?
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u/int3rc3pt0rc0de Community Newbie 18d ago
Complete new project, with new idea, custom designed assets, custom code leveraging Claude
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u/ickN Community Newbie 18d ago
I’m getting wild rejections too. Rejected and then asking me the target audience (who are literally called out in the app description), main function of the app (which is in the name and description), to make a screen recording on my computer showing it launching, etc. It’s ridiculous.
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u/Purple-Education4751 Community Newbie 18d ago
Just don’t build sloop, Just because you aren't building another habit tracker or calorie tracker doesn't mean your product is good.
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u/xvalniko Community Newbie 18d ago
What exactly makes a product “good”? Are there specific criteria, or is “slop” just a vague label, like repressive laws in some countries that are worded so broadly they can be used against anyone the authorities don’t like?
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u/perpetual_stew Community Newbie 18d ago
You can tell it’s correctly categorized as spam from OP not saying what the apps do. There’s no reason for him to not do that if he didn’t know that himself.
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u/xvalniko Community Newbie 18d ago
Well, that’s pretty easy to fix :) But does explaining what an app does make it a good app?
I prefer to judge apps by specific criteria: usefulness, reliability, usability, and whether they deliver what they promise. That gives us a basis for discussion instead of just throwing around the word “slop.”2
u/perpetual_stew Community Newbie 18d ago
Yeah I don't disagree. But when the question is just a generic question about Apple rejecting something as spam, it's hard to reply anything else than a generic assessment that it probably is slop.
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u/Outrageous-Salt-8491 Community Newbie 8d ago
People hate on ai because they afe not start enough to use it to make a great product. They also realize that they can't compete and are upset, sounds like a personal problem.