In January, Jake Nelson, an iPhone app developer based in London, submitted a standard update to his newly popular word game on the App Store. The update included support for additional languages and seemed routine. However, what followed was anything but simple.
Despite having experience with app submissions, Nelson found himself stuck in a confusing and drawn-out process. Over the next month, he went back and forth with Apple’s App Store review team, revising his code 15 times, mostly without knowing what needed to be changed. The update was eventually approved, but he never received a clear explanation as to why it was initially rejected or what made it acceptable in the end.
Although Apple offers an appeals process for rejected apps, it did little to resolve Nelson’s situation. During the delay, his game’s monthly revenue, previously around $1,000, began to decline due to the lack of fresh updates that could retain user interest. The frustrating experience left him questioning whether he should continue developing iOS apps.
“I felt as if it was an unending, completely opaque process,” Nelson said
When London-based developer Jake Nelson submitted a simple update for his iPhone word game in January, adding multiple new language options, he expected a smooth approval process. But despite his prior experience with publishing apps on the App Store, this particular update led to an unexpectedly difficult ordeal.
Nelson spent an entire month dealing with Apple’s review team, revising his code 15 times in hopes of meeting unclear expectations. Much of the editing was guesswork, as he was never told why the app was initially rejected or why it was finally approved. Even Apple’s appeal system failed to offer meaningful help.
The long delay took a toll on his earnings, his game, which had been generating about $1,000 per month, saw a drop in revenue as users lost interest due to the lack of updates. The confusing and time-consuming process left Nelson questioning whether he should continue building apps for iOS at all.
“It felt endless and totally unclear,” he said of the experience.
