Do submissions to the App Store made with iTGB take longer?
by BeyondtheTech · in iTorque 2D · 07/27/2009 (6:20 pm) · 18 replies
Maybe I'm just desperate or frustrated at this point, but I submitted my game, Archangel: Fate of the Galactic Commonwealth, on July 5, 2009. I got rejected twice due to graphic issues, July 9 - the 57x57 icon and 512x512 icon did not match up and could "confuse the users," and July 16 - use of an iPhone icon in my logo was a trademark infringement. But, on both occasions, I resubmitted a corrected version within hours of the email and all I got since then were canned responses: "Thank you for uploading a new binary. We will notify you if there are any further issues."
Even with questions such as "does the review process start from the beginning?" all I get was the same response, several days later: "Thank you for uploading a new binary. We will notify you if there are any further issues."
It's been 22 days since the original submission date, and it feels like I'm staring or talking to a wall when it comes to the App Store review process. Knowing that we use a separate engine to build our products, rather than developing it directly in Xcode with Objective-C, do you think that they look at our final builds with a double-take or a fine-tooth comb?
Can anyone here, who has successfully submitted and got their iTGB game or app approved, tell me how long it took from the time you submitted it to iTunes Connect?
There are rumors of a "dead queue" and developers having to actively reject their own binary and resubmit in order to get it noticed by the review team, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.
Even with questions such as "does the review process start from the beginning?" all I get was the same response, several days later: "Thank you for uploading a new binary. We will notify you if there are any further issues."
It's been 22 days since the original submission date, and it feels like I'm staring or talking to a wall when it comes to the App Store review process. Knowing that we use a separate engine to build our products, rather than developing it directly in Xcode with Objective-C, do you think that they look at our final builds with a double-take or a fine-tooth comb?
Can anyone here, who has successfully submitted and got their iTGB game or app approved, tell me how long it took from the time you submitted it to iTunes Connect?
There are rumors of a "dead queue" and developers having to actively reject their own binary and resubmit in order to get it noticed by the review team, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.
#2
It looks as if they don't have a queue, only a pile, where reviewers cherry-pick the app they want to review (spending all of 59 seconds on them in some cases). Send some friendly e-mails to the local dev address if it's been more than 2 weeks.
07/27/2009 (6:48 pm)
There are no silly questions, only silly people. The silly people are the reviewers, as you might have seen ;)It looks as if they don't have a queue, only a pile, where reviewers cherry-pick the app they want to review (spending all of 59 seconds on them in some cases). Send some friendly e-mails to the local dev address if it's been more than 2 weeks.
#3
As far as I know, yes, the review process is reset once you have been rejected once.
07/27/2009 (7:09 pm)
I've gotten the icon issue before. After some internet research, I concluded that was normal for any app developer to encounter at least once. Second issue sounds like non-iTGB specific as well.As far as I know, yes, the review process is reset once you have been rejected once.
#4
The two apps which have been longest in the queue have been there now for three weeks since the last rejection/re-submission. So the long delays do happen. Of course, before the last batch of submissions, I always used to get acceptance or rejection exactly a week after I submitted. So the rumours that the review process simply takes longer now might be true. But then again, I had the paid version of an app accepted a week or so ago while the free version for the same app is still sitting in the queue. The only difference between the two is the fact that the paid version was an update while the free was a new one. And in fact, all my apps sitting in the queue are all new apps. So it might be that only new apps take longer.
With Apple, I doubt nobody really knows what the heck is going on, least of all, the reviewers themselves :)
07/27/2009 (10:57 pm)
Yes, the review process is reset after each rejection/re-submission. Currently, I have five apps sitting in the review queue and I get no answers from Apple either. So I do share your pain :)The two apps which have been longest in the queue have been there now for three weeks since the last rejection/re-submission. So the long delays do happen. Of course, before the last batch of submissions, I always used to get acceptance or rejection exactly a week after I submitted. So the rumours that the review process simply takes longer now might be true. But then again, I had the paid version of an app accepted a week or so ago while the free version for the same app is still sitting in the queue. The only difference between the two is the fact that the paid version was an update while the free was a new one. And in fact, all my apps sitting in the queue are all new apps. So it might be that only new apps take longer.
With Apple, I doubt nobody really knows what the heck is going on, least of all, the reviewers themselves :)
#5
07/28/2009 (8:12 am)
Attack of the Dust Bunnies took 3 weeks to get approved - no rejections. We did submit it to Apple right before 3.0 was officially released, which is why I believe the approval process took a bit longer (I checked on the Apple forums and everyone was having the same wait time, regardless of how the app was developed)
#6
07/28/2009 (2:35 pm)
My longest was 13 days. Fastest was 6 days. I think Apple moves slower on non-US developers though. 
#7
07/28/2009 (6:57 pm)
I think they take longer on your first few apps, actually. My 7 released App-a-Day apps... the first one took nearly 3 weeks, the second a week later, my third and fourth a week after that, then fifth sixth and seventh all came out the following week. I'd say each app was released about a week shorter than the last... so I think they just want to make sure they can trust you, first. Then after you've got a track record, they'll push your stuff through quicker. I doubt its due to content... I mean, look at Tic-Tac-Bacon. A dead simple app, made in about 2 hours, with nothing more than a very basic Tic-Tac-Toe game with a flat out "choose a random space AI". Yet that took 3 weeks to release. Then "Ultimate Dungeon", which has a massive amount of random text, took about a week and a half. There's no way they were checking them for content... it had to be track record / trust to get it out quicker.
#8
07/28/2009 (7:04 pm)
My experience has been different to yours, Dave. My first few apps were actually pushed out exactly a week after submission - always, regular as clockwork :) But my last batch of stuff, all after the 3.0 release, has been in the queue for ages and still no word from Apple. So it also sounds as if the timing varies from developer to developer. Or maybe it depends on how you do stuff? As in does the app include a UIWebView component, in which case they put it on the hold queue because they want to check for "inappropriate content" or something? I have no idea ... 
#9
07/28/2009 (7:07 pm)
the webview with non hardcoded urls definitely gets you into a longer queue unless you rate yourself 18+, although at the end of the day, apple will put you 18+ in this case.
#10
07/28/2009 (7:08 pm)
I will be very curious to see the submission time on a big client project I'm wrapping up this week. Providing all goes well (fingers crossed!) we'll be submitting on Monday. We've been working on the project for about 3 and a half months now, so it will be very cool if it goes through quickly. However - unlike me push-it-out-quickly app-a-day games, this game contains a lot of custom music with lyrics, online statistics recording components, some web access components... we'll see what happens there.
#11
Hope it all works out as expected without apple playing the common bad boy
07/28/2009 (7:14 pm)
cool thing :)Hope it all works out as expected without apple playing the common bad boy
#12
07/28/2009 (7:15 pm)
One thing I've noticed is that if you have some web-access code in your app but you don't build in a warning for when there is no Internet access available, Apple will punt it back to you within a week saying that the app crashes - whether it does or not. Of course, having a check to see whether net access is available or not is elementary, but I've forgotten to do so in at least one app. Maybe something that'll help you ... or not :)
#13
(Personally, I think this is a silly thing that Apple needs to make an option. I have a unlimited data plan with my provider - I can sit there and download a terrabyte and it will cost me the same. I hate being limited like that!).
07/28/2009 (7:20 pm)
Has anyone found a "work-around" for the "app must be less than 10 mb to be downloaded without WiFi" issue? We are considering releasing 3 versions of our game because of this - basic 'Lite' version, 'Small' version which is under 10mb (with a way to do a free in-game update to the 'Big' version'), and a 'Big' version, which is the full game at over 20mb compressed.(Personally, I think this is a silly thing that Apple needs to make an option. I have a unlimited data plan with my provider - I can sit there and download a terrabyte and it will cost me the same. I hate being limited like that!).
#14
07/29/2009 (10:11 am)
@Dave: Make the app under 10 MB and have it download the rest of its content?
#15
07/30/2009 (3:19 am)
@Chris: Any suggestions on how that might be done? I've considered it, but it seemed like the only real way it could be done without being a jailbreak app is to treat the rest of the content as an add-on through the in-app purchasing, then just not charge anything for the add-on. Was there another way you were thinking it could be done?
#16
Regarding my game, Archangel: Fate of the Galactic Commonwealth...
It was hard for me to believe it initially, but actually got a call from Apple just a few minutes ago. The number 408-996-1010 popped up on my iPhone - I Googled it and thought it was a prank, based on some of the search results. But, it was real - it was a representative from the review team for the App Store.
He basically told me that the game was being held up from being released because large companies such as Paramount have been rigorously protecting their copyrights and trademarks, ultimately breathing down Apple's neck with any content they publish for the developer. He said that while the developer is ultimately responsible for the content of their application, the App Store has to perform due diligence to prevent any liability on their part.
If you noticed in my original game description, I wrote "...if you're a fan of sci-fi TV shows and movies such as Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, etc..." The reviewer felt that the wording should be changed as to not reference the intellectual property of Paramount or anyone else's. So, immediately, I went and changed it in iTunes Connect. Yep, the hold up was the text in the description.
I asked him if that was it and if would finally be approved in the very near future. He couldn't give me a straight answer, and said that their Service Level Agreements have reviewing-to-approval time at around seven days. My game, since it was flagged with a possible infringement, went off on a different path, explaining the extended hold-up. But, he said, that my game shouldn't take any more than a few more days, barring any other issues.
He did mention that simulated failures on the iPhone are cause for rejection, mentioning the countless number of times where users would actually go to the Genius Bars and say that their screen was actually cracked or their device went defective, when it was actually just part of the game. (Wouldn't pressing the Home button make the simulated crack disappear?) I suppose a lot of wasted time and effort of Apple employees was enough for them to prohibit this in any application.
I dragged the phone call as much as I could to get more information regarding the approval process. He was basically able to tell me that:
1. their review group is not understaffed
2. they do not fast-track or "cherry pick" applications for approvals
3. resubmissions of any kind restarts the review process (again, approximately seven days according to their SLA)
4. it's been a learning process for both developers and reviewers, but they think they're finally getting to a point where apps are reviewed and approved more smoothly, especially with the release of OS 3.0
5. unfortunately, there isn't any real two-way interaction between the developers and reviewers - the email that developers get is the only interaction (which made this phone call all the more unique)
6. app descriptions will no longer be a searchable field, due to too many developers throwing in nonsense to get hits - the new keywords field will be the only way apps can be searched
The reviewer wasn't the actual individual reviewing my game - from what it sounded like, it passes through a number of hands and goes through a checklist. But, as objective as the reviewer was regarding everything else, I was surprised when he said, "I think your game will do really well. It looks really great." He added that he'll do what he can to finally get my game approved as quickly as possible.
07/30/2009 (11:06 am)
Well, I feel special...Regarding my game, Archangel: Fate of the Galactic Commonwealth...
It was hard for me to believe it initially, but actually got a call from Apple just a few minutes ago. The number 408-996-1010 popped up on my iPhone - I Googled it and thought it was a prank, based on some of the search results. But, it was real - it was a representative from the review team for the App Store.
He basically told me that the game was being held up from being released because large companies such as Paramount have been rigorously protecting their copyrights and trademarks, ultimately breathing down Apple's neck with any content they publish for the developer. He said that while the developer is ultimately responsible for the content of their application, the App Store has to perform due diligence to prevent any liability on their part.
If you noticed in my original game description, I wrote "...if you're a fan of sci-fi TV shows and movies such as Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, etc..." The reviewer felt that the wording should be changed as to not reference the intellectual property of Paramount or anyone else's. So, immediately, I went and changed it in iTunes Connect. Yep, the hold up was the text in the description.
I asked him if that was it and if would finally be approved in the very near future. He couldn't give me a straight answer, and said that their Service Level Agreements have reviewing-to-approval time at around seven days. My game, since it was flagged with a possible infringement, went off on a different path, explaining the extended hold-up. But, he said, that my game shouldn't take any more than a few more days, barring any other issues.
He did mention that simulated failures on the iPhone are cause for rejection, mentioning the countless number of times where users would actually go to the Genius Bars and say that their screen was actually cracked or their device went defective, when it was actually just part of the game. (Wouldn't pressing the Home button make the simulated crack disappear?) I suppose a lot of wasted time and effort of Apple employees was enough for them to prohibit this in any application.
I dragged the phone call as much as I could to get more information regarding the approval process. He was basically able to tell me that:
1. their review group is not understaffed
2. they do not fast-track or "cherry pick" applications for approvals
3. resubmissions of any kind restarts the review process (again, approximately seven days according to their SLA)
4. it's been a learning process for both developers and reviewers, but they think they're finally getting to a point where apps are reviewed and approved more smoothly, especially with the release of OS 3.0
5. unfortunately, there isn't any real two-way interaction between the developers and reviewers - the email that developers get is the only interaction (which made this phone call all the more unique)
6. app descriptions will no longer be a searchable field, due to too many developers throwing in nonsense to get hits - the new keywords field will be the only way apps can be searched
The reviewer wasn't the actual individual reviewing my game - from what it sounded like, it passes through a number of hands and goes through a checklist. But, as objective as the reviewer was regarding everything else, I was surprised when he said, "I think your game will do really well. It looks really great." He added that he'll do what he can to finally get my game approved as quickly as possible.
#17
Finally.
If they now also start to enforce the categorization (I really hate it that underused categories just get missused to get on page 1 of a category, thats crap and should result in punishment to the dev), the store will all of a sudden become usable :)
07/30/2009 (11:15 am)
Quote:the new keywords field will be the only way apps can be searched
Finally.
If they now also start to enforce the categorization (I really hate it that underused categories just get missused to get on page 1 of a category, thats crap and should result in punishment to the dev), the store will all of a sudden become usable :)
#18
07/30/2009 (12:37 pm)
not sure, but my first app took 7 days (5 business) to get approved
Torque Owner Jason Wentworth
I've only gotten reject once, and I resubmitted the app later that night and the process seemed to start over (the rejection was 4 days in, and it took 7 days after I resubmitted for my update to go live).
I'm quite sure the process starts over from the beginning after each upload, since as far as apple knows you could have entirely change the app, thus invalidating all their work up until that point (the same holds true for if you reject and resubmit a binary, it's always taken 7 days from the last time I submitted the app for me)