[iOS] Discussion: App Store Rules

[gbougakov]

Added by contributors of the repo

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT iOS APPS

Apple will reject or remove your sticker app from the App Store if it uses the UI sample that WhatsApp provides. When creating an iOS sticker app, please make sure to develop a unique user interface with your own styling to comply with Apple's App Store guidelines. Do not use our sample app's UI as is, please significantly modify the UI before submitting. You should also consider adding additional functionality to your app (sharing stickers to other apps, to iMessage, etc) or any other features that you deem suitable. This will assist you in passing Apple's App Store review.

https://github.com/WhatsApp/stickers/tree/master/iOS#important-notice-about-ios-apps

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Please read before replying

Right now there is no proper strategy to avoid rejection. Period. I am not a WhatsApp employee nor am I affiliated with WhatsApp in any way

If your app was rejected, please upvote this issue. Do not reply

UPDATE: WhatsApp team is discussing the situation with Apple. Do not appeal your rejection too many times or they might close your developer account. UPDATE 2: My app was approved

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Today, I received a message from Apple App Review Team that said that my app was rejected because it "repeated the functionality of other apps and just changed content" and was spam. Had anyone experienced the same? What can I do to work around this?

[gbougakov]

Update: sent an appeal explaining that this app is no different from iMessage sticker apps, but just for WhatsApp.

[MarsVard]

@gbougakov that's not gonna work. I've been trying to get my app approved for 2 weeks now, have added extra features like adding allowing user to add stickers to their photos but still no luck. It's almost as if Apple is boycotting this.

[lwangeli]

Hi there, I redesign it and right now Im uploading it to AppStore Review. I was apealling the review for 2 weeks and I bellieve that they just want we change the design of the app, because if you analize it, they will have tons of apps identically just with content diferent, as they say in 4.3 guidelines.. By the way, dont you mention about iMessage, because its Apple template, and they will threat you on close dev account (they did it to me). Now I undesrtand what they mean with 4.3 guidelines. Lets see what they will tell me about my 7th intent review.

[al3bsi]

same problem for same reason, what should we do?

[gbougakov]

Well, the reason is pretty clear: Apple (and maybe Google, see #153) doesn't want competitors (ab)using their infrastructure. Now, either WhatsApp makes their own sticker distribution platform like @TelegramMessenger did or WhatsApp stickers are dead

[al3bsi]

This reason is unconvincing, and unfair

[gbougakov]

Agreed about the unfair part. But imagine this: you have a product, in this case iMessage, and your main competitor (WhatsApp) starts using your infrastructure for free to power their app, of course you're gonna do something about it! (Not defending Apple, but I see why they did that)

[al3bsi]

Is the project presented by the WhatsApp actually matches the requirements of Apple?

[gbougakov]

The thing is that making apps from templates is actually against Apple's rules

[gbougakov]

Excerpt from App Store Review Guidelines that caused my app to fail the review:

4.3 Spam Don’t create multiple Bundle IDs of the same app. If your app has different versions for specific locations, sports teams, universities, etc., consider submitting a single app and provide the variations using in-app purchase. Also avoid piling on to a category that is already saturated; the App Store has enough fart, burp, flashlight, and Kama Sutra apps already. Spamming the store may lead to your removal from the Developer Program.

[al3bsi]

Excerpt from App Store Review Guidelines that caused my app to fail the review:

4.3 Spam Don’t create multiple Bundle IDs of the same app. If your app has different versions for specific locations, sports teams, universities, etc., consider submitting a single app and provide the variations using in-app purchase. Also avoid piling on to a category that is already saturated; the App Store has enough fart, burp, flashlight, and Kama Sutra apps already. Spamming the store may lead to your removal from the Developer Program.

Perhaps the reason is (create multiple Bundle IDs of the same app)

[gbougakov]

I actually had an iMessage sticker pack with the same stickers before, but I pulled it down before submitting the new app for review. Also, my new app contained a sticker pack extension, so it would be a 2-in-1 (iMessage and WhatsApp sticker pack)

[al3bsi]

whatsapp sticker have 8 packages, how do I make 7 packs available for in-app purchase?

[gbougakov]

Not sure about that. Do you have multiple sticker packs in the App Store?

[al3bsi]

No , not yet

[gbougakov]

I think you can submit them all in one app, but that won't work for me because I want to bundle iMessage stickers with them.

[al3bsi]

I actually had an iMessage sticker pack with the same stickers before, but I pulled it down before submitting the new app for review. Also, my new app contained a sticker pack extension, so it would be a 2-in-1 (iMessage and WhatsApp sticker pack)

How did you do that? , Can you send the modified code?

[gbougakov]

Incase you want to add functionality to your app by adding iMessage stickers

Instructions to do just that:

1. Open the Xcode project
2. File > New > Target...
3. Select Sticker Pack Extension
4. Fill in the name and click Finish
5. Open Stickers.xcassets
6. Drag in the sticker PNGs
7. Run app on your test device
8. Boom! iMessage stickers

[al3bsi]

i mean , how i can put whatsapp stickers with imessage stickers together ?

[gbougakov]

I just explained. Just open your WhatsApp stickers Xcode project and follow the instructions

[al3bsi]

I just explained. Just open your WhatsApp stickers Xcode project and follow the instructions

wow, I did it, thank you for this info. it seems that the reason Apple refused is not to include imessage stickers with WhatsApp stickers, did you do it and rejected it?

[gbougakov]

Yes, they did, but I'm not sure that's the reason

[al3bsi]

Apple rejected it ?

[gbougakov]

[al3bsi]

Does it mean that there is no point in adding imessage to the project?

[gbougakov]

I don't think that's the reason they rejected my app. It certainly won't help you if your app was already rejected.

[al3bsi]

Yes, I have been rejected my application, filed a petition and explained to them that it does not contain spam and there are a lot of applications exist on Apple Store.

[coderflower]

somebody fix this ?

[Tarekajaj]

Same Issue here? Anyone was able to get their app approved?

[al3bsi]

It seems that Apple has started to delete stickers apps for whatsapp from store, something strange that he do.

[al3bsi]

Apple seems to want these apps to be paid not free.

[gbougakov]

Why though?

[gbougakov]

Yes, lots, and I mean lots of WhatsApp sticker apps were deleted from the App Store.

[al3bsi]

Perhaps apple does not want to have similar and duplicate apps in the App Store.

[sanestani]

So... all of you still can´t publish the app? im trying to do it, waiting for they to aprove the app, and now Im afraid that this could happend to me

[gbougakov]

@sanestani Haha, good luck!

[Zandor300]

The WhatsApp team is trying to get this resolved with Apple.

For now, if you really want your app to stay in the App Store, bundling your WhatsApp stickers app inside, for example, a game which the stickers are for, will definitely make it stay in the store and pass review as the game itself might provide function enough.

If you don't have this capacity, you can try to pass review with the sample app but you will most likely not. Please don't try to appeal the review too many times as they might threaten to close your developer account. Thats just my advice.

I'm personally also waiting to submit my stickers app because of this but partly also because the artist isn't done with the stickers yet.

[MarsVard]

@Zandor300 in the talks you're having with Apple, is there any chance our removed apps will be reinstated? Or should we note hope for that?

[Zandor300]

@MarsVard I said the WhatsApp team is trying to resolve this with Apple, but I'm not a part of the WhatsApp team. I'm just helping them moderate the issues here.

@simonzhexu and @amrit-1901 are working on it and might be able to respond to your question.

[al3bsi]

The second time my app is rejected, what is happening, Apple?

[al3bsi]

any news about this the issue ?

[lwangeli]

HI, I already had 3 apps rejected on same aspect 4.3 guidelines about 15 times. Already appealed and asked for more explicity reasons etc. My last appeal reasons are: "... the app really didnt do anything but its just used to show and let the User select a Sticker pack to be used at WhatsApp app." They rejected the appeal and send me some WWD17 videos about "Human Interface" etc. This is the last "clarification" on the rejection that I asked for: "Although we recognize that the content provided by your app may be customized, the specific issue is that your app provides the same features and functionality as other apps. This is considered a form of spam and is not appropriate for the App Store. To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to review app concept and incorporate different content and features that are in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines."

In conclusion, Im not happy with AppStore review, but I understand that this things made Apple iOS much different of Google's Android, because Apple really care about quality, design, content, etc. I already sent stickers pack to play store and its published. Apple want that we send for review a fully changed design etc. They dont want 2 or 30 thousand apps "equals" just changed in content. We know and we all use the template of iMessage Stickers and it have no problem on review, which for your knowledge, do not mention in your appeals because they take them very badly.

[MarsVard]

@iwangeli I don't want to go in detail, but my app wasn't a copy of this repo, it looked different + had different functionality

[lwangeli]

@MarsVard my app isnt a copy too, but even if you change every thing it will continue doing exactly same thing for all us.

[gbougakov]

I personally think that Apple doesn’t want their competitors to use their infrastructure.

[al3bsi]

I have an idea, why does not the programmer modify the project to add photos from the studio? Can we help? Apple may stop rejecting it .

[luiscraik]

I have added the extension to iMessage (explained above) and I haven't submitted my little app just yet because it may get rejected, however, the iMessage sticker apps on iOS use the same model and we haven't found a problem. Since it's WhatsApp I am not sure if Apple will allow this healthy competition using their same model they already use :/

[c4b4d4]

I've submitted an app a few days ago to the App Store and instantly got my binary rejected because: SPAM

I decided to make the app a mini-game so it's not just a Sticker app, but a mini-game to play and unlock the stickers, but I've got the same reason "Spam". I MADE AN ENTIRE GAME FOR IT AND STILL SAY THERE ARE SIMILAR APPS THAT DO THE SAME AS MINE. I'm starting to believe Apple doesn't want WhatsApp stickers on their platforms. I submitted an appeal, but I doubt it will get accepted.

Since the protocol for sending Stickers is via whatsapp:// is it possible to make a webapp version of the framework so we could send Stickers through a website instead of a native app? I believe it's possible, anyone has a suggestion to achieve this?

My UI is not even that "General", I made a complex UI for it.

[cartoonsmart]

@kzka90 Good try at least!

Anyone have a link to an approved WhatsApp sticker app?

[c4b4d4]

I'm trying to do a JavaScript code in order to send Sticker Packs from the browser, but I haven't made it work. Anyone want to help? This is what I'm doing:

<script>
document.addEventListener("copy", function(e) {
  e.clipboardData.setData("net.whatsapp.third-party.sticker-pack", JSON); //JSON is the string with all the sticker info exactly as the iPhone app saves it in the clipboard, images are in compressed
  e.preventDefault();
});

function sendToWhatsApp() {
  var sel = document.getSelection();
  var range = document.createRange();
  range.selectNodeContents(document.body);
  sel.removeAllRanges();
  sel.addRange(range);
  document.execCommand("copy");
  window.getSelection().removeAllRanges();

  location.href = "whatsapp://stickerPack";
}
</script>
<button onclick='sendToWhatsApp()'>Send</button>

But I keep getting:

There's a problem with this sticker pack and it can't be added to WhatsApp.

Whenever it launches WhatsApp. Has anyone here tried something similar?