Navigate the App Store landscape. Share strategies for app submission, distribution, marketing, and user acquisition. Discuss best practices for getting your app discovered and downloaded.

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Couldn't redeem TestFlight invitation code
Some time ago I forwarded the invite to TestFlight from my work Apple ID to my personal Apple ID (email addresses) and was testing on a personal iPhone device. I want to stop testing on my iPhone and move testing to my work iPad. Therefore, I removed the app in TestFlight from my personal device (selecting "Stop Testing") and app is no longer available. I also removed the work Apple ID from the list of all testers for the app, as well as from the internal tester list. I then added it back, sent the invitation, but it will not work on the iPad. Subsequent builds generated new invitation codes and none of those work either. I tried three so far. It appears my personal Apple ID is somehow permanently connected to TestFlight, even though there is no reference to my personal Apple ID in the work account. I see no references in my personal Apple ID account to the app either. Any suggestions to get the invite to work? I don't know what else to do other than create a new Apple ID, but would rather not for a variety of reasons.
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4
4.3k
Aug ’22
Product Key Usage and 3.1.3(b)
We have an iOS app in the store that have been available for almost two years. This app is also available on macOS and Windows (and has been available on those platforms for many years before the iOS app was released). On macOS and Windows, users are given a product key in order to license the application (either purchased directly from us, or given to them by their institution). Depending on the purchase, the product key could be a subscription or a lifetime license. When we released the iOS app, we made the app "free" as in, there was no cost to install it from the store. On first run, the user is presented with in-app purchasing options, and also given the option to type in a product key if they have it. We are pretty much the definition of "3.1.3(b) - Multiplatform Services." We've had a couple issues in the past getting the app through review because of the product key option, but it's always been a simple matter of pointing out that we are complying with 3.1.3(b). For our most recent release, we were once again rejected for providing the product key option. However, after we pointed out that 3.1.3(b) allows unlocking based on purchases on a different platform, we were unilaterally told that product keys were not allowed. We had several back-and-forth interactions with the reviewer in an attempt to clarify why 3.1.3(b) doesn't apply, but we were only told that product keys were not allowed. Since this release is a bug fix only, they agreed to release it as-is but said we would need to address the issue in our next release. We have no intention of removing the product key unlock and are expecting our next release (a new feature release) to be rejected and then force us to appeal the decision. Has something changed recently that limits the ability to use product keys that were purchased on separate platforms? I've read through all of the relevant sections and I don't see anything materially different from when we first released the app 2 years ago. Is this just a reviewer who doesn't understand their policies? Has anyone gone through anything similar and managed to successfully appeal the decision?
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989
Aug ’22
Error uploading only Mac Catalyst build of App through App Store Connect
Every time I try to upload the Mac Catalyst build of my App to App Store Connect, I get the following error: Asset validation failed This bundle is invalid. The value for key CFBundleVersion [3] in the Info.plist file must contain a higher version than that of the previously uploaded version [8]. Please find more information about CFBundleVersion at https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/information_property_list/cfbundleversion (ID: 60d6b17f-ea3e-4e82-a6e6-21c18e6fb9ef) I have tried updating the version and build numbers in Xcode - still getting the same error. The Info.plist also looks fine - it just contains $(CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION) next to Bundle version. The kicker is that I'm having no issues with uploading iOS builds - only Mac Catalyst builds. Any help would be appreciated - I've been stuck on this problem for months! I'm running Xcode 14 on macOS 12.5.1
4
0
2.1k
Sep ’22
reject by guideline 4.3 Design - spam
my Chinese Chess Game be rejected 2 times. the reason: We continued to notice that your app provides the same feature set as other apps submitted to the App Store; it simply varies in content or language, which is considered a form of spam. What I'm more curious about is where is the measurement standard for this sentence? According to this reply "same feature set as other apps ", should APPLE STORE have only one chess games, and the others are considered spam? but why there are so many Chess game there? do they have different features? based on that reply, I think, I am not a chess player. or I am not playing IOS chess game. my APP should be the strongest AI already. have Large End Game Database for play. have self define board for play With AI. any suggestion of make different features set?
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858
Sep ’22
Where to get 5.5 inch iPhone screenshots for submission
Hello, I'm new to iOS development and I'm trying to take some screenshots of my app to submit to the App Store. I'm running Ventura 13.0.1 and XCode 14.1. So far I've used these simulators to take screenshots: 6.5 inch - iPhone 11 Pro Max 6.7 inch - iPhone 14 Pro Max 12.9 inch - iPad Pro 6th gen What I'm stuck on is getting the 5.5 inch screenshots, which are required for App Store submission. As far as I can tell from some online searching, the latest iPhone with that screen size was the 8 Plus. I've installed the oldest iOS simulator that XCode has listed (iOS 13.7), but it still won't let me run a simulator for the iPhone 8 Plus to get those screenshots. I don't have the physical device to take screenshots on. Does anyone know how to get the 5.5 inch screenshots without having to manually resize them?
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73k
Nov ’22
App was approved, but still shows "In Review"
I submitted my app for review and it is was approved. I received an email saying "Your submission was accepted for release on the App Store" and the App Review page on App Store Connect shows it was approved. However, under IOS app, it still shows "in Review" with the yellow clock item and of course is not on the App Store. Does anyone know how long it will take to reflect approval, and when it will become available on the App Store?
6
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1.5k
Nov ’22
Can't view campaign data with pre-downloads
Within the last week, we listed our app on the App Store for Pre-Download. Immediately after, we created campaign links and sent them around. We are 100% certain that at least a few of the campaign links have generated over 5 pre-downloads, yet we still can't view campaign data. Is this because pre-downloads are not considered App Store Units, so we won't be able to get the attribution until the launch date?
1
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1.2k
Nov ’22
Why I can't see my teams while creating StoreKit Configuration File
I am trying to add In-app purchases to my app. I tried to create StoreKit Configuration File but after checking "Sync this file with an app in App Store Connect" I wanted to pick my team but the only options I had were "None" or "Ad an account...". And answering upcoming question: Yes I have team. Please help.
3
1
1.8k
Dec ’22
AppStoreConnect API - How to set pricing
I am trying to use the AppStoreConnect API to set the price of an app. In the documentation (here) it suggests that it is possible to set the price using the API. "To set a price for your app using App Store Connect API, create a relationship between the apps resource and appPrices" However it links to the instructions on how to set a price using the AppStoreConnect web site. Looking at the website it appears that the pricing is being set by sending a PATCH to the app record itself but on the API this results in a 405 (METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED) Is it possible to set a price using the API, and if so what endpoint should I be sending to?
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2
4k
Jan ’23
One-time purchase with free trial
Dear all, This is my first post in this forum - and, in fact, my first app, too! I'm glad to be here, and thanks in advance for your help. I'm looking to offer an app for a one-time payment. I'd also like people to be able to try the app for a week. It seems that the "Pricing and Availability" section in App Store Connect is not the right place to configure this kind of offer. It does allow me to set a one-time price, but I cannot find a trial-period there (or am I missing something?) Two different strategies seem possible here: Using in-app-purchases: make the actual app free, but ask users after a week to buy a non-consumable IAP. The problem with that: I need to verify that the app has been installed for seven days ... even if it has been uninstalled at some point. Using subscriptions: There is a "free trial" option for subscriptions. But after that free trial, subscriptions are being payed periodically. I'd rather have the user only pay once for lifetime-access. Some apps seem to use strategy 1 - I believe the "Lap swim" app does. But still it seems like a bit of a hack - is there a more elegant way to achieve this?
5
1
7.2k
Jan ’23
Testflight builds expired all at once
Anyone is experiencing this issue? Today without any reason we can think of, all of our builds were expired on Testflight. Without knowing what happened, then we tried to add a new build, that it it seems to be in good shape on Testflight, even with the mark green meaning is ready to be tested. Even though, by trying to install the app on iOS using TF, we are getting a message saying "The requested app is not available"
5
0
1.6k
Apr ’23
Simulator not reflecting simctl override --time command as expected
I have a simulator named "iPhone 14 Pro" created and booted. The override --time command doesn't appear to take anymore. This worked months ago, but broke somewhere along the road of Xcode 14.x. It is a drag setting the system time to 9:41 for App Store Connect screenshots which is why I used the command in the first place. I cannot seem to successfully set the status bar time of the simulator via the following command anymore: xcrun simctl status_bar "iPhone 14 Pro" override --time "9:41" Is this working for anyone else lately? Feedbacks; Created these Dec 7, 2022 FB11859751 - Simulator: iOS simulator not responding to simctl set time FB11859744 - Simulator: watchOS simulator not responding to simctl set time
2
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1.6k
Apr ’23