Apple Updates App Store Guidelines With Stricter Rules for Low-Quality Apps

[MacRumors]

Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines this week, adding stricter language around low-quality apps.

The 4.3 Spam rule already barred overly simple apps in saturated categories, but Apple now includes language saying low-effort apps could be pulled from the App Store. Apps in oversaturated categories that are not updated, improved, or do not attract customers may be removed, according to Apple.

App Guideline 4.3(b) New Language:

Don't submit apps that are indistinguishable from what's already widely available. Opportunistically creating variants of existing app categories or popular apps degrades App Store discovery, reduces overall app quality, and harms both users and developers. Certain kinds of apps, such as dating, flashlight, sound effects, wallpaper, simple timers, and fortune telling, are well established on the App Store and we will not accept new submissions unless they offer a meaningfully different or improved experience. We may remove these apps from the App Store going forward if they are not updated, improved, or do not attract customers. Other kinds of apps, such as drinking games, Kama Sutra, fart, and burp apps, are mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort and do not add value to the App Store. Repeated submissions of this kind may lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program.

App Guideline 4.3(b) Old Language:

Also avoid piling on to a category that is already saturated; the App Store has enough fart, burp, flashlight, fortune telling, dating, drinking games, and Kama Sutra apps, etc. already. We will reject these apps unless they provide a unique, high-quality experience. Spamming the store may lead to your removal from the Apple Developer Program.

Apple says it won't approve dating, flashlight, sound effect, wallpaper, simple timer, and fortune telling apps unless they are meaningfully different from existing apps. Apple says fart, burp, Kama Sutra, and drinking game apps are "mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort" and add no value to the App Store. Repeated app submissions of this type could lead to removal from the Developer Program.

Wording on spam apps is clearer than before, and it sounds like Apple will approve fewer apps in saturated categories and may even clean up some clutter apps that get no interest.

Apple also added new detail to its 1.2 rule on apps with user-generated content, which is a guideline that has seen Apple threaten to remove apps like Grok from the App Store. Apple now makes it clear that app developers are responsible for removing content that violates App Store guidelines, such as pornographic content.

It is your responsibility to remove content that violates this guideline, your terms of service, or your community standards. If we find such content, we will ask you to remove it, and provide a plan to improve your compliance with this guideline. Based on your response, your app may be removed from the App Store until you can demonstrate improvements that bring your app into compliance. Egregious or repeated behavior is grounds for immediate removal of your app from the App Store, and from the Apple Developer Program.

Apps that do not have a compliance plan for addressing content violations could be removed from the App Store.

Apple's final guideline change (4.5.3) bars app developers from using Live Activities to spam, phish, or send unsolicited messages to customers.

The full App Store Review Guidelines are available on Apple's website.

Article Link: Apple Updates App Store Guidelines With Stricter Rules for Low-Quality Apps

 

[Smartuser]

I didn’t know there’s burp apps. Off to the App Store!

 

[actcyclist]

Would the iOS26 Preview app pass this if it wasn’t from Apple?

 

[sleven]

I didn’t know there was a plethora of Kama Sutra apps. Off to the App Store!

 

[Astuces iOS]

already paying 100 a year and cannot publish what I want?

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Other kinds of apps, such as drinking games, Kama Sutra, fart, and burp apps, are mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort


Damn, the be kink shaming now

 

[McScooby]

At least slapmac wasn't on the App Store.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Apple's final guideline change (4.5.3) bars app developers from using Live Activities to spam, phish, or send unsolicited messages to customers.

This one is just begging to be walked back when Apple decide to use live activities to spam you with ads for their latest (low quality) service and someone complains to the EU.

 

[adrianlondon]

already paying 100 a year and cannot publish what I want?

"We will reject these apps unless they provide a unique, high-quality experience."

If you create a lossless audio fart app you should be ok. $100 well spent.

 

[lepetitnicolas]

the App Store has enough fart...

 

[gank41]

already paying 100 a year and cannot publish what I want?

Exactly! I'm paying $100 a year and HOPE people will try my app.. Now I have to worry about Apple deciding to randomly remove it because I don't have a better outlet to promote myself? Seems pretty short sided of them. I'm sure there's more to it than that..

 

[Bill Av]

What about single-player premium games that stop working when they flick a switch?

 

[Astuces iOS]

Exactly! I'm paying $100 a year and HOPE people will try my app.. Now I have to worry about Apple deciding to randomly remove it because I don't have a better outlet to promote myself? Seems pretty short sided of them. I'm sure there's more to it than that..

Yeah there are ton of rules to follow and now what, if apple thinks there are too many similar apps they don’t allow them? Bruh….

 

[coolfactor]

already paying 100 a year and cannot publish what I want?

So you're of the opinion that you can buy bad behavior?

If your app is unique and adds value, then there's no issue. Otherwise it's spam, and even you don't want to deal with that, right?

 

[coolfactor]

Exactly! I'm paying $100 a year and HOPE people will try my app.. Now I have to worry about Apple deciding to randomly remove it because I don't have a better outlet to promote myself? Seems pretty short sided of them. I'm sure there's more to it than that..

If your app is of the same quality as your spelling, should I be concerned? Seriously, Apple's goal is to provide a store that sells quality apps. It's not a junk store.

Is your app unique and adds value, or just a means to make yourself money through the selling of imitation?

You always have the Android marketplace to distribute "stuff".

 

[nostaws]

Or how about students who are developing (simple) apps for the first time, and are just jazzed to see their app in the app store. Nothing motivates teenage/young adults to develop apps more than the idea of mixing and matching farts!

When stickers in imessage were new, I helped my daughter in a high school graphic design class as part of her final assignment get her stickers into the app store through my developer account. Still one of the biggest smiles shes ever had seeing her family and friends download her stickers.

"We will reject these apps unless they provide a unique, high-quality experience."

If you create a lossless audio fart app you should be ok. $100 well spent.

 

[diblasio]

Exactly! I'm paying $100 a year and HOPE people will try my app.. Now I have to worry about Apple deciding to randomly remove it because I don't have a better outlet to promote myself? Seems pretty short sided of them. I'm sure there's more to it than that..

Make a good app. Not that big a deal.

 

[skymovieguy]

Imagine a world where Apple doesn’t actually get a say about the programs you want to run on your own device.

 

[Porco]

Only the very highest quality fart apps from now on. Breaking news!

 

[IDKiguess]

First they came for the fart apps. And I said nothing.

 

[noannualfee]

They need enforce a mandatory dark mode option: calling you out Chase and US Bank.

 

[schappim]

Kama Sutra, and drinking game apps are "mediocre, low-quality, or low-effort" and add no value to the App Store

Apple, is that your final position?

 

[CalMin]

Ok so it needs to be a 'high quality' fart app before it can be accepted?

Claude: "Please vibe code me a high-quality fart app that meet Apple's specifications."

Let's see what I get...

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

My Karma Sutra app leverages Gemini foundation models. Hoping it will be able uses siri to set timers soon.

 

[fahlman]

Imagine a world where Apple doesn’t actually get a say about the programs you want to run on your own device.

Imagine a world where you knowingly buy a smartphone whose only path for installing apps is a highly curated App Store, then complaining that the App Store is highly curated.