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Comment by jabart

2 years ago

Having an app that competes with an existing Apple app is considered a duplicate app and you can be rejected because of it.

15 comments

jabart

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SllX  2 years ago

This was more of an issue early in the App Store’s history than later on. Apple’s relaxed on that a lot a long time ago and you can use any number of contacts, calendars, email clients, browsers, camera apps, messengers, maps apps and so on.

  • afavour  2 years ago

    But it still exists in their rules. That they don’t enforce it as often as they used to is cold comfort: they still can whenever they feel the need to do so. So if you get too successful they can still very easily chop you down.

  • micromacrofoot  2 years ago

    not really for browsers, they allow them but they all have to use Safari's engine

    • SllX  2 years ago

      Yeah but browser ≠ rendering engine. I know they get conflated a lot in tech, but when I’m using e.g. Arc on my Macintosh, I’m not using Chrome despite using the same rendering engine.

      8 replies →

    • Nevermark  2 years ago

      Not sure why you are getting downvoted.

      I also want alternate web tech, WebAssembly, Javascript implementations.

      And as a developer, to be able to create tools that use the memory allocation/permissions API for JIT compilation.

noahtallen  2 years ago

Wouldn't that rule out so many apps? E.g. Netflix competing with Apple TV, Goggle Photos vs Apple Photos, Google maps vs Apple maps, any note-taking app, camera, email client, browser, or weather app... What actually gets you rejected?

  • landryraccoon  2 years ago

    Does Apple ever have to give you a reason why you're rejected, or tell the truth even if they give you a reason?

    That's probably the biggest reason I think that Society (with a capital S) should rein in Apple a bit. They have a lot of power and money over the consumer, but on top of that they have no obligation to provide transparency and truthfulness. Given how dependent people are on their phones, I think it's perfectly fair for the state to step in and say that the power imbalance between consumers and Apple should be equalized a bit.