iOS Apple says my app which predates the App Store is spam.

[MastersoftMobile]

I was happy with the App Store until today. My app from 2005 that has had it's features copied over and over by other more recent apps was rejected as spam, even though it came first.

The app store arrived around 2007 but my app came out in 2005.

The option to appeal was removed and I have been told it will take longer to review.

My app won several awards back in the day and had unique first of it's kind features.

How can the original be spam but not the ones that develop from it?

 

[Mr.Blacky]

You had your app on the App Store for around 13 years and now it's declared as spam? That's not good. ?

 

[MastersoftMobile]

More than 13 years ... but if it was the first how can it be Spam. I know there are millions of Sudoku apps now, but almost every single one has a feature that originally appeared in mine. Here is a newspaper ad from 2005 ... mine is that old

It's like banning the Ford Model T because it copies having four wheels from the design of a new Mustang

 

[Mr.Blacky]

So your app was on the App Store even BEFORE the App Store existed? ?‍?

 

[Lihp8270]

So your app was on the App Store even BEFORE the App Store existed? ?‍?

I imagine they’re saying it was available for download to other mobile devices before apple introduced the App Store.

 

[MastersoftMobile]

So your app was on the App Store even BEFORE the App Store existed? ?‍?

It was on various app stores eg Handango, PocketGear, AppForge (the forerunner of Apple's AppStore for me), CNET etc, and also included in the box with new iPaqs in the UK. It was No1 in the then chart for over a year.

 

[Mr.Blacky]

It was on various app stores eg Handango, PocketGear, AppForge (the forerunner of Apple's AppStore for me), CNET etc, and also included in the box with new iPaqs in the UK. It was No1 in the then chart for over a year.

But since when is your app on the App Store?

 

[Lihp8270]

But since when is your app on the App Store?

I see the point you’re making. @MastersoftMobile is this a new submission to the AppStore?

If so then it unfortunately does not meet the guidelines for new submissions

 

[DeltaMac]

Hmm... There's been lots of changes to the security world in the more than 15 years that your game has been available, and there must be some code/feature in your game that now triggers an algorithm at Apple.
I suppose that something in your code was totally innocent 15 years ago, but now is deemed a "bad player"?

 

[Lihp8270]

Hmm... There's been lots of changes to the security world in the more than 15 years that your game has been available, and there must be some code/feature in your game that now triggers an algorithm at Apple.
I suppose that something in your code was totally innocent 15 years ago, but now is deemed a "bad player"?

They don’t mean it like that.

The guidelines say that Apple will not accept a submission into a flooded market/genre without any new unique features.

If OP has waited this long until submitting it into a saturated market then that’s on them.

 

[MastersoftMobile]

Hello, I did previously have it in the app store but Apple refused to update other apps unless I deleted some non related ones. Now I am ready to have the free version back. The paid version is there, but Apple say offering this free version is spam. It is double standards on Apple's part as companies I won't name have added several versions of solitaire including recent new ones and Apple are fine with them doing so. I just want a free version and a paid version.

 

[MastersoftMobile]

It is getting even crazier now.

If I delete the paid version and replace it with the free version I will pee everybody off.
I cannot add a separate free version and delete the paid version (thus having one version) because of the bundle issue (bug?) whereby if your app has been in a bundle you cannot delete it.
I cannot change the paid app to free because of the app store bug whereby sometimes when you switch a paid app to free it disappears from being searchable.
example ...
I change paid to free. All done right? Well no, because if you type in "Sudoku" it won't even appear at No 10,000th in the list. It just vanishes for good.

 

[MastersoftMobile]

I am really happy to report that Apple made the app live. I guess sometimes things get missed. Anyway really pleased to be back in the App Store.