Apple Says App Store Appeals Process is Now Live, So Developers Can Start Challenging Decisions

Apple on Monday announced that its new App Store appeals process, first revealed at WWDC in June, is now live, meaning developers can challenge Apple over whether their app is in fact violating one of its guidelines. In addition to that, Apple says developers can also suggest changes to the App Store guidelines through a form submission on its online developer portal. From a report "For apps that are already on the App Store, bug fixes will no longer be delayed over guideline violations except for those related to legal issues. You'll instead be able to address guideline violations in your next submission," reads a note posted to Apple's developer website. "And now, in addition to appealing decisions about whether an app violates guidelines, you can suggest changes to the guidelines." These changes were introduced at WWDC on the heels of a rather public feud with software maker Basecamp, the creator of a new email service called Hey. Basecamp openly challenged Apple over whether it could distribute an iOS companion app to its email service without including in-app sign-up options, as Hey costs $99 a year and Basecamp felt it unnecessary to give Apple its standard 30 percent cut of that revenue (although Apple does only take 15 percent of in-app subscription revenue after one year of service). Apple, in response, held up the company's bug fixes and update capability.

Process =/= results

[k0nane]

The process may be live, but that doesn't mean an appeal will result in anything other than "we were right the first time, denied", just as it often does with Google, Facebook, and other platforms. Human intelligence and a reasoned look at evidence for and against is almost never employed. I'll believe Apple's developer appeals process produces any meaningful relief when I see it.

Re:Process =/= results

[Falos]

So negative. I'm sure this will be at LEAST as good as youtube's machine.

The process is damage control, the frying pan is getting toasty on this side of their image lately and murmurs are coming from more than their peasant consumer pews. Not that it's a dumb idea - it will indeed serve towards that goal.

Re:

[dgatwood]

I'll believe Apple's developer appeals process produces any meaningful relief when I see it.

Short of one-way-binding arbitration by a truly neutral arbiter (read "not chosen by Apple"), I'd sooner believe in porcine aviation than believe that an appeals process within Apple will result in any meaningful relief.

Re:

[S_Stout]

They will let a few small appeals go through so they can point to them and say the process is working.

Re: Process =/= results

[xgerrit]

Meanwhile they will have cover to add even more draconian rules by saying "If you don't agree with the rule, why don't you try the appeals process?"

Apple has been generally reasonable when you talk

[SuperKendall]

Human intelligence and a reasoned look at evidence for and against is almost never employed.

I have found this to be the opposite with the Apple App Store review time. If you run into an issue and appel (you could always talk to them about an app release being denied before, what has changed is being able to appeal the rules themselves) they have been pretty considerate about listening to what you say, and if your response is reasonable approving an application for release even if denied before.

The rules wi

Keep it Quiet

[bill_mcgonigle]

This way the likes of Hey! don't have to embarrass Apple in public when they get denied. Will updated developer ToS prevent public complaints by contract?

PS A competing app store would have had an appeals process (and low fees) five years ago. Incentives matter.

Re: Keep it Quiet

[NoMoreACs]

PS A competing app store would have had an appeals process (and low fees) five years ago. Incentives matter.

Meaningless speculation.

Re:

[ACForever]

Meaningless comment but you typed it anyways

Re: Keep it Quiet

[xgerrit]

Meaningless speculation.

That "speculation" (creating competition) also happens to be the basis for a lot of economic theory. Apple has created a scarcity of App Stores precisely so they can dictate the App Store terms without pushback. It's clear that if developers had a say in the terms, situations like the one with "Hey!" would be much less likely to happen because "Hey!" could just take its business elsewhere. If you don't believe that, you can't really believe in capitalism.

The law and the courts recognize this as an inequalit [wikipedia.org]

Re:

[ACForever]

Nothing apple hates more than bad press. You have to keep the belief in the cult strong.

New process

[OMBad]

ln -s /dev/null /dev/complaintqueue

Apple App Store Appeals Process is Now Live!

[grep -v '.*' *]

We're ready for all your complaints -- we'll read them just as fast as we can! Feel free to email all you want to our special complaint address: mailto:[e-mail] [mailto]

Re:

[Mattcelt]

And for faster service, we're even opening our complaints to be heard by (approved) third party arbiters: mailto:apple@dev-null..com [mailto]

Suggestion Box

[xanthos]

Reminds me of the Suggestion Box sign over the paper shredder

You've heard of "it's not a bug, it's a feature"

[The MAZZTer]

For apps that are already on the App Store, bug fixes will no longer be delayed over guideline violations except for those related to legal issues

Get ready for "It's not a feature, it's a bug!"

Fire under their feet?

[bumblebees]

Are they starting to feel the heat under their feet? Trying to make it "fair" and look good for the masses. But the possibility to appeal wont really change anything. Probably a bot replying and closing the case after random time with a generic "we are sorry but our decision stand" bullshit reply.

Oyez Oyez Oyez...

[CHR$(36)]

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! The Kangaroo Court is now in session! Please rise for the Right Honorable Tim Cook Presiding.

they had this waiting for this exact situation

[elcor]

like the tobacco industry, hoarding billions for when the big class action lawsuit hits so yeah now they can say that they're good citizen

The real goal..

[HumanEmulator]

The real goal here is to create an alternate "higher decision maker" so developers spin their wheels in Apple's process instead of seeking solutions with the government or the courts. Younger developers are especially vulnerable to this, because they enter the market with a school-mindset (where administrators often determined what was OK or acceptable for them), and less likely to realize that Apple shouldn't be making these decisions in the first place.