Orangesoft Monthly Round-Up #4
In 2022, Google Play unveiled measures to deal with abandoned apps. This crackdown is said to affect thousands of neglected applications that will be hidden or blocked from users’ devices.
And even if you have a stable release cadence, your application can still be removed. According to the latest Apple fraud prevention analysis report, around 1.5 million applications were rejected by the App Store for guideline violations in 2021.?
In this newsletter, we summarize the most common reasons for app store rejection and removal so your applications can live happy, long lives.
Why Google and Apple May Purge Your App and How to Avoid Rejection or Removal
Overall, there are seven main reasons your application can get pulled from both app stores, including:
Malware
Each year, Apple and Google make it tougher to stumble across malicious apps by introducing new algorithms. For example, in 2022, Google Play booted out 16 apps with over 20 million combined downloads for malicious activity that led to ad fraud and drained devices’ network data.
Did you know that you can inject malware into your app unintentionally? This issue often occurs when using third-party code to power your app. This code can contain disruptive ads or fish out your users’ data.
To avoid rejection/removal: Make sure that any link or ad network in your app does not expose the user to malware and that your code has no vulnerabilities.
Disruptive adware
Another reason your app may vanish from the app store is aggressive advertising software that unexpectedly throws up full-screen ads. This violation applies to interstitial ads of all formats that can’t be closed after 15 seconds, interrupt users in their actions, or pop up during the beginning of a content segment.?
Apple and Google are constantly improving their policies addressing issues with intrusive ads, alarms, VPNs, and impersonation of brands and other apps. Thus, since September 2022, all apps in Google Play aren’t allowed to embed intrusive full-screen interstitial ads.?
To avoid rejection/removal: Opt for non-intrusive ad formats that follow your app's natural form and function and do not worsen the user experience.
Clone apps and plagiarism
If your application violates a trademark, copyright, or other intellectual rights, not only will it get rejected or removed from stores, but it will also expose you to costly repercussions. Even something as small as using a character’s name can result in an infringement.
To avoid rejection/removal: Make sure you’re submitting unique application content that does not capitalize on other solutions and delivers one-of-a-kind value to the end user.
Access to user data
Both Google Play and App Store strictly prohibit applications that misuse personal data, violate data security guidelines, or do not clearly state the nature and purpose of data collection. This rule is enforced to make privacy and security practices more transparent to users and to explain the data the app may collect and why.?
Emphasis is also put on the privacy of financial data. For example, in 2021, Apple prevented over 3.3 million cards from being used to make potentially fraudulent purchases and banned over 600,000 accounts from transacting again.
To avoid rejection/removal: Your application should ask for the minimum relevant permissions, have clear privacy disclosures, and accurately describe the intent of data collection.
Abandoned apps
As we mentioned, applications that don’t get regular updates are taken off the market on both Google Play and App Store. Over the last years, Apple has taken down around 2.8 million neglected applications.?
领英推荐
Google is also urging developers to upgrade their apps’ APIs to the latest version, or the application will be removed. The rationale behind this requirement is that outdated software cannot stand up to new security threats or remain compatible with new platform versions.
To avoid rejection/removal: Complete consistent preventive and perfective maintenance will keep your product up to date and strengthen its security posture.
Restricted content
Both stores will remove your application if it contains any over-the-line content. This content includes explicit imagery, mean-spirited references, violent content, or other objectionable material.
To avoid rejection/removal: Avoid using questionable content, whether text, visuals, video, or music.
Pro tip: Don’t forget that you can always send a detailed appeal to the app store if you think your app’s content was misunderstood. Learn more about how Orangesoft helped appeal a Google Play decision to get a dating app back into the app store.
Government request
If your application operates in a global arena, you have to comply with each country’s laws. Otherwise, local government authorities may request to remove your product from the app store.?
For instance, at the beginning of 2021, Apple banned 117 applications in different regions due to legal violations. In 2022, Google received 983 government requests for removing content.
TikTok, for example, often gets hit with lawsuits from American authorities. The latter lambasts TikTok, a short-film app owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, for its lack of data security. Some government agencies have even banned employees from having the app installed on their phones.
To avoid rejection/removal: Ensure you’re well-versed in the legal technicalities of the countries where you offer your app.
Pro tip: Before you hit the “publish” button for your application, take a few moments to inspect it with our comprehensive pre-publish checklist. To get the checklist and ensure your application is ready to go, simply leave a comment below.?
Take the Hassle Out of App Submission
Submitting your application to the app store can be a real challenge for developers. Each marketplace has its specific take on the app quality supported by hundreds of guideline clauses and footnotes. Although we’ve fleshed out the most common rejection reasons, this is not an exhaustive list of why your app may be rejected or removed from an app store.
We are committed to helping with your app development from start to finish. Our experienced professionals can provide guidance and assistance in the app submission process. Contact us today if you need your app to bring joy to users.
Articles that you should read before your app submission: