Ask HN: Apple Rejected Our App Because It Was Too "Simple". Options?

I have also had a simple app rejected, then approved once some complexity was added. It was a totally silly app that was pretty much an exercise in what exactly they would accept as the simplest app. (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iuplift/id469338399)

Initially, the app was just showing canned upifting phrases. This was rejected. Second submission allowed the user to add their own phrases, using some native controls to show/edit this list of phrases. This was accepted.

What I would suggest is perhaps adding something like a way to manage different collect links in the app. Keep track of which photos you have sent to a collect. They seem to also love you to do things that are not easy to do in a web app. Maybe if you added camera access from within the app (useless I know, but still), maybe image cropping etc before upload? Is there metadata attached to their submissions to the collect link? Perhaps allowing them to edit this metadata in a table view.

I think you need to come up with reasons why you can't just make it a web app and want it to be an app (why do you want that anyway?) and be sure to implement those things.

My reasons for wanting my apps to be apps and not web sites is because phone apps are cool and people want an app not a website - it seems weird to me that apple do not think the same way. I understand they don't want any more fart apps, but most phone apps could be reasonably done as web apps now anyway.

> What I would suggest is perhaps adding something like a way to manage different collect links in the app.

Good idea.

> Keep track of which photos you have sent to a collect.

We are already doing this in the app. But maybe doing it for the multiple "collect"s that we're tracking might help.

Submit a more complex application with features you can disable server side after review. While Apple doesn't approve of easter eggs they can't see during review, I've never heard of them noticing (let alone complaining about) features disabled after review.

You should also carefully consider why you don't support email and MMS. You should allow your customers to to say "Text Pictures to 12345 or email them to company@trovebox.com"

Downloading an app is unlikely to be easier than using the native sharing features for most users, so keep that in mind if you really care about simplicity and ease of use.

Thanks. That's a good idea.

We'll definitely consider email/sms. But the app isn't required at all. What this feature enables is one link that works across devices without requiring any software installation. The app is optional.

Here's an example, https://trvbx.co/8f890593c5

Is the app slick and native feeling? Are there useful features the app can have like knowing what photos are newer than last run/upload or excluding those already uploaded from what is offered?

Yes, it's slick and native feeling. We spent a bit of time on the UI.

One useful feature it has is that it keeps track of the photos you've already sent. But again, it's a small part of a much larger feature which is actually pretty awesome.

We could add something else but the problem is that it is a simple app and adding something doesn't guarantee that it'll be enough to get approved.

Tweak it, doesn't have to be a major change and resubmit with information about what it does that a native app can't in the review notes (tracking sent images).

If that doesn't work maybe add basic image editing options (cropping etc.) or think about whether there are useful offline features you could add.

Note that I don't have much experience with rejections but that is what I would do.

Good point. I also wonder if we can basically resubmit it and hope we get a different reviewer. Based on 2.12 it just doesn't violate any of the points.

Why don't you want to add any additional features? Specially if there are any that can make the experience easier for users.

For example: You say users can easily send photos, but the premise is wrong, in the sense that it takes the same number of steps for a user to:

1. Click a picture

2. Open the picture

3. Select to send it via email/mms/whatsapp/etc. or share it on facebook/dropbox/etc.

4. Of course the next step would be select a contact, add an @user and add a message if they choose.

5. Hit send/share/etc. to confirm

I am guessing they would need to choose a business or contact in your application too, so it does not really add anything "new" and is no more convenient or simpler than other options.

On the other hand; If you added features to:

1. Take a picture from within the app

2. Allow users to directly load pictures from the phone

3. Tagged pictures with the exact GPS coordinates (with the users permission)

4. Allowed users to sort, tag and share (using a privacy first approach)

You could request businesses to pay a small fees to get access to semi-publicly shared photos on your application that share the geo-location/coordinates with their event location and time. This could also be done in real-time.

You could also automate sharing/backups to other services that you can integrate using tags and other user preferences.

Only then will you have a complex enough product, that actually simplifies the users activity.

edit: formatting

There's a few points in your post that don't address the needs of (our) business users.

If you run an event with hundreds or thousands of attendees you don't want them all emailing or SMSing photos to you.

Or if you run a travel agency and want to provide a way for people to share photos after their group vacation your suggestion won't work there either.

There's a lot of use cases that we've been discussing with customers.

  Only then will you have a complex enough product, that
  actually simplifies the users activity.

Can't say I agree with that statement :).

edit: disclaimer: tad off-topic since the OP specified "We don't care or want to add any features to this app." which was exactly what I just did. :)

> If you run an event with hundreds or thousands of attendees you don't want them all emailing or SMSing photos to you.

A dedicated email address for the event, using twilio for sms/mms[0], watching/following a #hashtag thru something like hootsuite will work and is already used. It also does not require the users do download any Apps at all.

*Though, my previous comment was not intended to criticize or compare you to other services, beyond the scope of reaffirming what apple has already told you, you're application is too simple in terms of being light on features.

As a matter of fact, I am also reaffirming that there is potential to the idea. It's likely the simple fact that we just have a different definition of what would be considered simple.

From my perspective an application like this has two different sets of users, both of whose needs should be met. The business customer and the app user, what you explained is truly simple for the business customer but the success of those users depends on the usage/adoption by the app users. If you're saying that the needs of the later group should/can be avoided or overlooked then we are truly coming from different places. :)

Also in regards with: > Or if you run a travel agency and want to provide a way for people to share photos after their group vacation your suggestion won't work there either.

In my previous comment I mentioned that you could allow the app users to sort, tag and share photos(point 4 under the second list), if a tag/category was shared by the user the challenge for the travel agency would be solved. If I were to implement this I would:

-> first make the travel agency share the folder/link-folder with the people in the tour

->-> If the user shared a 'link' under this folder it would

->->-> the pics/links get shared with other users of the folder and the tour operator

->->->-> As an added feature the app user could select their terms for sharing ex. share with operator only etc.

You are doing the right thing. Your app exists to Collect photos for a business, that's what it should do.

Some apps have screen shots that aren't screenshots but more like presentations explaining screenshots. You could try that to make clear the great things going on at the other end of your Collect app?

Your real audience will be the Business's users, but in this round, your audience is the Apple reviewer. It needs to look, to them, like it's doing something cool.

Or, since your install vector is a link:

* Use an HTML5 app!

That was the original intent for the platform, and iPhones and iPads support that.

Have a look at http://forecast.io or http://forecast.io/lines for examples of apps that install as HTML5 apps w/o using app store, and do cool things.

In your case, you can upload photos and EXIF data, and you can get to an install faster.

There are so many async js file uploaders to S3 at this point, you're golden.

Port the mobile app to Android, make a killing there.

If you really insist on iOS, add a big Easter Egg.

Sorry, not sure what that means :).

We have an Android app and yes we need an iOS one too.

Clickable link to the feature in more detail, https://trovebox.com/feature/collect

Maybe you can add a invite and rsvp feature. That lets the business send out an invite to all attendees asking them to download the app and submit photos.