App Submission Lessons Learned

[DenVog]

Would it be worthwhile to create a sticky thread for lessons learned by those who have submitted applications to the App Store?

I've just been accepted to the developer program and will probably submit my first application this weekend. I've been through a few of the threads in the business forum and seen some shouts of why an application got delayed, or in some cases rejected. Couldn't find a single thread that seemed to role that up. It would be nice to have the collective knowledge of this group share their experience and help those, new and senior, avoid issues with their submissions.

Some common themes seem to be:

• Objections to content or app name. Is there a list of words to avoid (e.g. "*****" and "booty")
• Bugs
• Violating Apple UI standards
• Competes with an Apple native app

I'm sure the folks here can think of a longer list, and be much more specific than I can.

[sqs]

Dictionaries can't contain the F-word anymore. Seriously. I found this out by email feedback from the iTunes Connect reviewers two days ago.

[DenVog]

Wow! Only one reply? I thought there would be a lot of input on this, given how many apps have been through the process. Maybe this discussion was more appropriate for the iPhone SDK Development forum?

Here is another that I've run across reading through the threads.
some apps have been rejected because they didn't have a support link

[spike021]

Here's one:

Make sure both large and bundle icons are same. Other wise Apple claims it will confuse the userbase.

[DenVog]

Originally Posted by DenVog

[*]Violating Apple UI standards

As part of UI, it appears some folks have been rejected due to using an Apple standard icon, but in a way not intended. Here's an example.

[SimonChu]

Originally Posted by spike021

Here's one:

Make sure both large and bundle icons are same. Other wise Apple claims it will confuse the userbase.

What do you mean by both large and bundle icons?

[jeffelkins]

Originally Posted by SimonChu

What do you mean by both large and bundle icons?

Apple requires a 59x59 icon and a 512x512 one as well.

[ThirtyOne]

My first app lessons learned thread.

I will add - I used the bookmark standard icon to represent the pages of my coloring book app and was rejected. You can only use the standard icons to represent their standard action.

[SimonChu]

Originally Posted by jeffelkins

Apple requires a 59x59 icon and a 512x512 one as well.

Is that upon submission? I only find one field for the icon in the plist. Sorry if my questions are stupid, I've never submitted an app before and want to be prepared.

[jeffelkins]

Originally Posted by SimonChu

Is that upon submission? I only find one field for the icon in the plist. Sorry if my questions are stupid, I've never submitted an app before and want to be prepared.

I'm just getting prepared myself. My app is ready but I haven't started building the submission yet.

[DenVog]

10base-t interactive has posted a list of Unofficial App Store Rejection Criteria. Might save some people a little grief.

[DenVog]

Originally Posted by SimonChu

Is that upon submission? I only find one field for the icon in the plist. Sorry if my questions are stupid, I've never submitted an app before and want to be prepared.

See the iPhone Application Developers Guide. It says

The iTunes artwork your testers see should be your application’s icon. This artwork must be a 512 x 512 JPEG or PNG file named iTunesArtwork. Note that the file must not have an extension.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by SimonChu

What do you mean by both large and bundle icons?

The icon on the Home screen and the one from the iTunes store

[CarlosT]

Originally Posted by spike021

The icon on the Home screen and the one from the iTunes store

So the Large image has to be thye same as your icon? Can they not just be themed the same! it seems stupid since 2 57x57 image can have a lot less detail than a 512 one! Guess I will have to resubmit tonight then! how do I change the submitted large Image when an app is in review?!

[spike021]

Originally Posted by CarlosT

So the Large image has to be thye same as your icon? Can they not just be themed the same! it seems stupid since 2 57x57 image can have a lot less detail than a 512 one! Guess I will have to resubmit tonight then! how do I change the submitted large Image when an app is in review?!

In "Edit Details" go back to the upload tab. Then do what you did to upload the original. As far as the bundle itself, you would have to build a new one and submit it, which restarts the approval process.

[CarlosT]

Originally Posted by spike021

In "Edit Details" go back to the upload tab. Then do what you did to upload the original. As far as the bundle itself, you would have to build a new one and submit it, which restarts the approval process.

Sorted got my new large icon updated!
add it to the growing list of lessons learned! lol

[DenVog]

Here is another item for the list. Be careful what you name your application.

[DenVog]

There is a pretty decent list of iPhone app Development and Submission TIPS! in the other forum.

[wuf810]

Originally Posted by spike021

Here's one:

Make sure both large and bundle icons are same. Other wise Apple claims it will confuse the userbase.

Its happened but shouldn't. If you update you app with a new icon you don't want to update the large icon until the app is accepted for sale. And unless I'm mistaken, if you update the large icon on an in review app, the change flow through to the store straight away. Now that confuses users!

[wuf810]

Originally Posted by wuf810

Its happened but shouldn't. If you update you app with a new icon you don't want to update the large icon until the app is accepted for sale. And unless I'm mistaken, if you update the large icon on an in review app, the change flow through to the store straight away. Now that confuses users!

Ignore this. I just did some experiments and it seems that updates keep their own large icon at least. Sure there wasn't the case a while back.

Does anyone know if you change the screenshots for an update, whether they are also unique to the update or whether they update the store immediately?