Rejected for Mentioning iOS 15 Compatibility
And, that’s the iOS 15 build of Dice by PCalc rejected for… mentioning iOS 15.
It feels like we’ve been down this road before.
It’s a longstanding unwritten rule, though in this case Apple had already posted the iOS 15 release candidate build and notified developers to submit their updates for iOS 15. So not being able to mention the OS version just adds confusion for users.
My Overcast build with the iOS 15 GM SDK, released after the very public event this week, was rejected for mentioning “iOS 15 compatibility” in the release notes.
Such a waste of everyone’s time, Apple. Come on.
My best guess is that they’re somehow trying to avoid user confusion - they’re worried that if people see a bunch of iOS 15 updates before iOS 15 is out they’ll assume their phone isn’t compatible with it or the updates won’t work on 14 or whatever.
If Apple really doesn’t want users to see these updates before iOS 15 is released, there should be an option to submit your update now but have the App Store hold it for release until iOS 15 ships.
They’re probably confused because the change of term from GM to RC. Since iOS 15 is now RC, it is no longer pre-GM so doesn’t violate the rule they quote. Which is even funnier.
If Apple, year after year after year, pulls the BS of an app rejection because you mention the upcoming release … at some point ya gotta stop trying. Save yourself the headache. Just say “the new iOS” or “today’s update.”
Just got rejected for mentioning “the latest iOS.”
That’s why you just “bug fixes and improvements”
It is my understanding that mentioning iOS 15 is allowed in your release notes, as of now, and in future mentioning an unreleased OS should not cause a problem after app submissions for that particular OS have opened.
Thanks to Thompson for relaying an unwritten rule change, but it would be nice to have a written guideline to cite when the memo inevitably doesn’t get out to everyone.
Previously:
Update (2021-10-20): Tanner Bennett:
Seems to me like the trouble that comes with rejecting hundreds of apps for mentioning it and having potentially broken apps on iOS 15 would far outweigh whatever trouble comes with user confusion from mentioning iOS 15 in app release notes… What kinda whack priorities are these
Apple: don’t you dare mention our OSes that are in RC and we announced are going to launch next week
Also Apple:
I saw three apps that mentioned iOS 15 which were allowed through app review. Glad to see that process is as cönsistent as ever.
>That’s why you just “bug fixes and improvements”
This is sadly a good point. If Apple wants to incentivize good release notes (and they should!), this is not the way to do it.
>If Apple really doesn’t want users to see these updates before iOS 15 is released, there should be an option to submit your update now but have the App Store hold it for release until iOS 15 ships.
Exactly. This also incentivizes day-one-of-iOS-release app updates, which, too, should be in Apple's interest. Just amend the Pricing and Availability section:
Release Date
( ) Immediately after review
( ) Specific date:
(•) Upon release of iOS $NextMajorVersion