Tips to deploy on Apple Store

Powell Assistance

Updated January 15, 2025 10:50

To let your user the capacity to use their own device, you can deploy your application in a public store.

On Apple Store, the validation team can be demanding.

To speed up the process, sharing a test account with the Apple support engineer is recommended to allow them to test your application.

It is imperative to clearly explain that the application must be publicly accessible and that you will be responsible for managing user access.

Hello,

As asked, I have included below the answers to your questions.

1. Is your app restricted to users who are part of a single company? This may include users of the company's partners, employees, and contractors.

=> No, this app is for everyone.
An automatic process will create the user's account so that they can connect to our application

2. Is your app designed for use by a limited or specific group of companies?

=> No

- If yes, which companies use this app?

- If not, can any company become a client and utilize this app?

=> Yes

3. What features in the app, if any, are intended for use by the general public?

=> Have news/event information that we want to share with everyone..

4. How do users obtain an account?

=> An automatic process will create the user's account so that they can connect to our application.

5. Is there any paid content in the app, and if so, who pays for it? For example, do users pay to open an account or using certain features in the app?

=> No paid content inside the app

We wish you good reception of our answers.

I hope this will help you. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions. We can't wait to be in the app store.

Regards,

Even with all this information, Apple support doesn't validate the application.

Guideline 3.2 - Business

We found in our review that your app is intended to be used by a specific business or organization, including partners, clients, or employees, but you've selected public distribution on the App Store in App Store Connect. Since the App Store is intended for apps with a public audience, we recommend reviewing the other distribution options available to you through your Apple Developer Program Account.

Next Steps

To resolve this issue, review the other distribution options available for apps designed for specific businesses or organizations and choose a distribution option that works for your app and users. You can review these app distribution options on Apple Developer.

Resources

- Learn more about custom app distribution using Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager.
- Learn more about unlisted app distribution.

Best regards,

App Store Review

But with the latest precision, the application can be validated :

Hello,

Sorry for the misunderstanding; my answers weren't clear.

We are a software publisher producing mobile applications for our customers. This one is intended for a company (that was what I wanted to express). This application can be accessed by anyone (other companies, partners, etc.).

For this reason, we need to be integrated into the public store.

I hope to have brought the answers to your questions and the necessary precision.

If Apple rejects the submission again with the following message:

Guideline 4.8 - Design - Login Services

The app still uses a third-party login service, but does not appear to offer an equivalent login option with the following features:

- The login option limits data collection to the user’s name and email address.

- The login option allows users to keep their email address private as part of setting up their account.

- The login option does not collect interactions with the app for advertising purposes without consent.

Next Steps

Revise the app to offer an equivalent login option that meets all of the above requirements.

If the app already includes a login option that meets the above requirements, reply to App Review in App Store Connect, identify which login option meets the requirements, and explain why it meets the requirements.

Here is a response that you can submit:

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback regarding our app's login services. We would like to clarify that our app complies with the requirements outlined in Guideline 4.8, as follows:

- Limited Data Collection:
The login option we provide collects only the user's name and email address. No additional data is gathered.

- Option to Keep Email Private:
We would like to clarify that our app respects user privacy and ensures minimal data collection. While we do not currently provide a feature to anonymize email addresses (e.g., via a proxy email), we only collect the user’s email address for essential account-related purposes, such as authentication or account recovery. We do not share or expose user email addresses to third parties or use them for marketing purposes.

- No Advertising Without Consent:
Our app does not include any advertising, and we do not collect or use user interactions with the app for advertising purposes.

We believe that the login option already meets all the requirements outlined in your feedback.

If there is any specific behavior or feature that raises concerns, please let us know so we can address it promptly.

Thank you for your time and support in reviewing our app.