PhoneGap App rejected 10.6

Question

Our PhoneGap App just got rejected.

Binary Rejected:

10.6: Apple and our customers place a high value on simple, refined, creative, well thought through interfaces. They take more work but are worth it. Apple sets a high bar. If your user interface is complex or less than very good it may be rejected

Text:

"We found the following issues with the user interface of your app:

• Did not include iOS features. For example, it would be appropriate to use native iOS buttons and iOS features other than just web views, Push Notifications, or sharing.

Specifically, we noticed the app provides a consumption of information with limited ways users can interact with that information. It would be appropriate to add iOS specific UI and functionality rather than displaying just text and table views."

On above they are first referring to the interface and the look and next they are reffering to just the content/function and that the app just provides informations.

The Interface is clean and simple. It is an application that provides (premium) informations. There are several apps in app store who work like this.

I heard about including some plugin or API so that I can justify the App. But there would be no sense in this app for the use of an plugin. Or has someone an Idea to provide fake functions?

Would be sad if we couldn't release this app, we put a lot of time and effort in this app.

Has anyone tips on how to submit an information-based application?

Answer 1

I came across this question on stackoverflow while searching to the same on iOS 7. I had similar problem way beck with iOS 6 and the problem was resolved. Answer is here http://community.phonegap.com/nitobi/topics/ios_app_rejected_advice_on_how_to_fix_it

I'm not sure if the answer will apply to iOS 7 since Apple deprecated the tab bar.

Answer 2

It's highly likely that Apple rejected the app due to it being just a website wrapped in Phonegap. They do this as they expect you to make some use of the OS. Bear in mind when they look at your App they statically analyse it and it will show what APIs you are using, if you are using none, it will be rejected. In this case, perhaps the best way is to develop it as a HTML5 app using use the features of iOS to make it feel like an app - caching for example.

Otherwise, I'd make it look very much like an app. I've developed an app for my workplace, and whilst using a number of APIs such as location, and push notifications, no user would ever know it's developed using Phonegap. Have a look here:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/chester/id665701380?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

You do need an account to make it work, but the screenshots will give you an example of the sort of UI Apple would expect. It doesn't have to look like a iOS app - I've used a Windows Phone-like interface, but I have retained the back button at the top left, and styled it to look like iOS7.

You can find a useful resource here:

http://ivomynttinen.com/blog/the-ios-7-design-cheat-sheet/

This gives you dimensions and clues to what iOS colours, fonts, icons etc to use.

You can get Glyphish icons (http://www.glyphish.com) to add to the quality of the app, and remember they expect retina images also now.

Use Phonegap 2.7 or above to make sure it's fully compliant with the retina requirements.

Answer 3

Probably your apps' look and feel (UI/UX) does not conform to the iOS, which means they may not look at all like ios apps. You need to provide navigation like iphone apps (with back button on top), bottom nav bar (if possible).

Also use some phone specific features - like getting location (which obviously could be very useful info).

Basically the app should not be a wrapper for a webapp which can be used directly from the browser.