Apple kills white labeled iOS apps! What should we do?

Question

Many companies rely on white-labeled applications to provide their services in a more personal way to their customers.

With a few settings, we can set the logo and screen saver and even pre-configure our application to the needs of our customers, which has a big impact on their final user interface. Without this, my users will have to use an application that skips many configuration steps that the general application cannot skip.

According to the apple: “Applications created from a commercialized template or application creation service will be rejected”

Now, what can we do to get around this?

Today I saw that 4 applications are rejected, while others are waiting for a review, and I can assume that they will have the same end.

Here is the audit result: "4. 3 Design: spam

Guideline 4.3 - Design

We noticed that your application provides the same set of functions as many of the other applications that you sent to the App Store; it simply changes in content or language, which is considered a form of spam.

The following presentation of this application may require longer viewing times.

Next steps

When creating multiple applications where content is the only changing element, you must offer one application for delivering different content to customers. In addition, you might consider creating a web application that looks and behaves like a native application when a client adds it to their home screen. See the Configuring Web Applications section of the Safari Web Content Guide for more information.

• Browse the Design section of the App Store Review Guide.
• Make sure your application is compatible with all sections of the App Store Review Guide and Apple Developer Program Terms of Use.
• Once your application is fully compatible, resubmit your application for viewing.

Submitting applications designed to mislead or harm customers or avoid the verification process may result in the termination of your Apple Developer Software Account. Check out the Apple Developer Program Terms of Service to learn more about our termination policies.

If you think your app is compatible with the App Store review of the Guide, you can file an appeal. Alternatively, you can provide additional information about your application by directly responding to this message.

For application design information, check out the following videos: "Best Practices for Great IOS UI Design" and "Designing an Intuitive User Experience", available on the Apple Developer website.

You can also read the iOS Human Interface Guide for more information on how to create a great user interface in your application.

Of course, we can develop web applications, but Apple cannot forget that many functions are available only in native or hybrid applications.

What should we do?

Literature:

• https://blog.summitsync.com/did-apple-just-crush-white-label-apps-4aee14d00b78
• https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/

Answer 1

We have the same problem. We talked with Apple, where it is very nice and understandable. Our application is mainly used for bij employees, and Apple is encouraged to use B2B application distribution through the Volume Purchase Program .

If your application is just a white labeled application that a business can use for its customers, you're out of luck. Apple will no longer allow the use of any white-labeled apps in the app store. Your option is to make one application that can switch between different clients. If the application looks like an online store, this can be difficult, but according to Apple's example, the application for fans of a football club in a club should be in one application.

Answer 2

The current answer is out of date. Apple has revised its recommendations in which the customer should have their own Apple account, paying $ 99 per year. Then you can send the white marked application under this account. We have been doing this for the last three months without any problems. They would not have allowed such an approach before, but now they are doing it.

Answer 3

There is nothing that can be done to Apple to approve a copy of your application with only images and shortcuts changed, it has been their policy since the release of iOS 3.

The only sure way to do this is to create a new developer account for the company to which you are selling a personalized version.

And B2B is also a viable option, which also saves your customer a $ 99 Apple account.