Member Avatar for SimonIoa

Hello i ve tried to upload my first app on the App Store but i got this mesage from Apple. Any ideas how to proceed?

*Your app provides a limited user experience as it is not sufficiently different from a mobile browsing experience. As such, the experience it provides is similar to the general experience of using Safari. Including iOS features such as push notifications, Core Location, and sharing do not provide a robust enough experience to be appropriate for the App Store.

Next Steps

To resolve this issue, please revise your app to provide a more robust user experience by including additional native iOS functionality.*

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rproffitt

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Apple’s note is the classic Guideline 4.2 rejection: the binary feels like a thin wrapper of your website. To move forward, pick a core task your app uniquely solves and implement it natively so it is clearly more than Safari plus notifications. Apple’s wording is intentional here: apps that are mainly web clippings or content aggregators do not qualify without added utility and an app-like UI. See Guideline 4.2 and 4.2.2.

Concrete ways teams have cleared 4.2:

  • Replace generic web views with native list/detail screens (SwiftUI/UIKit), using your API to render content, not an embedded site. Add offline support (cache, downloads) and stateful features like queues, history, favorites, and smart filters.
  • Provide device-native value: background audio with Now Playing controls, on-device search and indexing, widgets, or Share/Action extensions that work system-wide.
  • Deep-link everything (urls that open exact screens) and handle them robustly, so push, widgets, and links land users in-context.
  • Add account management and personalization that materially change the experience vs. your mobile site.

Process tips:

  • In App Store Connect, reply to the rejection and ask for specifics and screenshots of the screens they felt were “like Safari.” If needed, book a 30‑minute App Review appointment to discuss your plan, and appeal only after you’ve addressed the feedback. Apple explains how to correspond, schedule, and appeal here.

And to ’s point: browsers exist on iOS, but only if they use Apple’s WebKit; what gets rejected is a site wrapper with minimal native value. Guideline 2.5.6. If your current build is essentially your site, ship the web experience now and take one iteration to add the native depth above before resubmitting.

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Member Avatar for rproffitt

I'm reminded of what The Cat said in Red Dwarf.
whatisit.gif

Remember that folk that make apps like a browser or MP3 player get rejected all the time. That's been discussed so I think we have to start with Red Dwarf's rather famous question which is "What is it?"

Member Avatar for SimonIoa

Any idea what i should do? Reject tha app totally?

Member Avatar for rproffitt

Maybe I wasn't clear in my Question which is "What is it?"

If you have some app that is a browser then they will reject it as they have Safari. Tell us what this app is and how it is really different from Safari.

commented: this is my app on Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rovespier.mobile +5
Member Avatar for rproffitt

What I see is what could be delivered via a web page. Apple would reject that. I see they explained why so I'll not duplicate and possibly confuse that response.

As to Android, the rules allow what you did so that's going to go ahead.

What I do see is what and mind you I've only seen this today and will not sign up or install this app to try it out since I can't be sure what it really does (no source) in the background so to me this seems to duplicate what Youtube does for media, channels, etc. So you have that working against you plus Apple's own rules.

Fix? Make a web version so iUsers can get at your content and system.

commented: Thanks for your time rproffitt. I got it. No source? +0
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