CODEWITHSUNDEEP
iosfirebaseapp-store-connectfirebase-authenticationgoogle-authentication
ilvcs
ilvcs

Reputation: 103

My app got rejected because lacking " significant account-specific functionality from Google"

I made an app using firebase and I have implemented Google account based logIn system to my app because I thought it would good and also helps me for Firebase Invites but my app got rejected by the apple app review team and they are telling that I have to implement "significant account-specific functionality from Google".

My app is like a social networking app something similar to Facebook. Users in the app can invite friends, share content with friends to achieve this I used the Firebase features like real-time database, Storage, Firebase Invites etc... I really don't know what else I should implement to eligible for "significant account-specific functionality from Google."

I have sent an email for help but they haven't responded yet.

Upvotes: 4

Views: 1264

Answers (3)

samwize
samwize

Reputation: 27363

I had the same rejection this week because I have a Facebook login.

My app was already live, and this is rejection for an update.

There is a change in their guideline. This is new on Sep 1, 2016:

If your core app functionality is not related to a specific social network (e.g. Facebook, WeChat, Weibo, Twitter, etc.), you must provide access without a login or via another mechanism. Pulling basic profile information, sharing to the social network, or inviting friends to use the app are not considered core app functionality.

In essence, they are killing many apps that simply use social networks for single sign on.

A solution right now is to implement your own login account mechanism.

Upvotes: 0

ilvcs
ilvcs

Reputation: 103

After 3-4 rejections I found the solution for this problem. I have have implemented a feature called Firebase Invites and for that they must sign in with their Google Account.

According to Appstore guidelines we even can't use third party login for sending invitations. In that situation, I have convinced them that "with this Firebase Invites I can able to see my friends in my Google Account and send them invitations personally". With that answer (they called me by phone) it seems they have convinced and accepted my app.

Upvotes: 0

Amod Gokhale
Amod Gokhale

Reputation: 2448

Using firebase is perfectly fine in iOS.

  1. 1.1 LEGAL: PRIVACY - DATA COLLECTION AND STORAGE - significant account-based features

Read section ii) https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#data-collection-and-storage

If your core app functionality is not related to a specific social network (e.g. Facebook, WeChat, Weibo, Twitter, etc.), you must provide access without a login or via another mechanism.

Since your app is not using any specific social network feature ( facebook,twitter - which demands a login ) you must allow users to provide functionality without login.

You might want to appeal to Appeal board with explanation why user must login in order to use the app ( give examples and screenshots of specific functionality which cannot be used without login ).

If your appeal is rejected you don't have any option but to redesign the app to follow what apple is suggesting. What we have done in past is provide a basic flow without login but once it reaches point where login is must we force user to login ( something like anonymous user).

Upvotes: 1

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