What you need to know
- Apple told developers to submit iOS 13 apps.
- Developer submitted their iOS 13 app.
- App review rejected the app because it requires iOS 13.
When you're developing a new app ahead of a big iPhone launch, it's important to be in the App Store on day one. That's what the developer of Allegory set out to do. But they're having a problem. Apple's App Store review team won't let the app into the store because it requires iOS 13.
Apple recently told developers to begin submitting their iOS 13 apps for review, but in this case the app appears to have fallen at the feet of a team member who didn't get the memo. As the developer tweeted, they were ultimately told to submit the app after iOS 13 launches so it can be properly tested. Apple will release iOS 13 on Thursday, September 19th.
On the phone with Apple -
“You’re using pre-release software so I can’t even review your app as I’m not running iOS 13. Please just wait four days till it’s released, and then resubmit your app for review. I’m going to reject your binary for that in the meantime.”
🙃On the phone with Apple -
“You’re using pre-release software so I can’t even review your app as I’m not running iOS 13. Please just wait four days till it’s released, and then resubmit your app for review. I’m going to reject your binary for that in the meantime.”
🙃— Shihab Mehboob (@JPEGuin) September 16, 2019September 16, 2019
That, of course, isn't really an option. Being in the App Store when new iPhones go on sale can be a big deal. With iPhone 11 sales beginning the day after iOS 13 releases – Friday September 20th – doing as the reviewer says won't give the developer much wriggle room.
It's worth noting that Apple's developer guidelines (opens in new tab) do say that apps "must run on the currently shipping OS," however.
Where things go from here isn't clear. This is the first time we've heard of a developer being told they can't submit an iOS 13 app. But hopefully the situation will be rectified before too long.
Once Allegory does find its way into the App Store we suggest taking it for a spin, too. We've been testing the notes app recently and it's pretty great!
Update
It looks like this might have a happy ending after all. The developer just confirmed that someone from Apple reached out and the app is once again being reviewed.
An update on the Apple review issue:
A very nice lady from Apple called back to apologise about being previously told my someone else that iOS 13 apps can’t be submitted yet. She said that’s not true. They certainly CAN be submitted.
The app goes back into review.
😬An update on the Apple review issue:
A very nice lady from Apple called back to apologise about being previously told my someone else that iOS 13 apps can’t be submitted yet. She said that’s not true. They certainly CAN be submitted.
The app goes back into review.
😬— Shihab Mehboob (@JPEGuin) September 16, 2019September 16, 2019
