This is actually just one of the many ridiculous decisions taken by the App Store review team. The truth is that developers keep getting forced to remove functionality, sometimes the decisions are reversed but not always (and it might only work if you've got a large enough following).
I've had enough of this stuff and I've voted with my feet - I no longer develop for iOS and I'm back to the Mac, outside the MAS.
My absence won't make any difference to Apple but it makes a huge difference to my wellbeing and health by not having to deal with this stuff. It pains me so much to see fellow developers' efforts just thrown down the garbage bin. It's extremely demotivating to have your work crippled when you're striving to create the best software. The reason why this keeps happening and will continue is simple - there are hundreds of thousands of people developing for iOS, it's Apple's playground and their rules - if you don't like it, you can leave. If you're an indie, you have zero leverage, that's the reality. I honestly hope things improve in the future but until that happens, I'm done with it.
A few recent examples where the (Mac) App Store cripples apps:
- Drafts get asked to remove widget while other widgets to do the exact same http://www.macrumors.com/2014/12/02/apple-drafts-widget-remo...
- Rejected for slide to start, which is a gesture not even used anymore: http://mjtsai.com/blog/2014/11/25/racesplitter-rejected-for-...
- Sandbox forces feature removal http://mjtsai.com/blog/2014/12/02/garagepays-encryption-remo...
- Notification Center rejection http://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/18/apple-cracks-down-on-nea...
- PCalc got asked to remove calculator but then decision reversed http://www.macstories.net/ios/apple-asks-pcalc-developer-to-...
I've had enough of this stuff and I've voted with my feet - I no longer develop for iOS and I'm back to the Mac, outside the MAS.
My absence won't make any difference to Apple but it makes a huge difference to my wellbeing and health by not having to deal with this stuff. It pains me so much to see fellow developers' efforts just thrown down the garbage bin. It's extremely demotivating to have your work crippled when you're striving to create the best software. The reason why this keeps happening and will continue is simple - there are hundreds of thousands of people developing for iOS, it's Apple's playground and their rules - if you don't like it, you can leave. If you're an indie, you have zero leverage, that's the reality. I honestly hope things improve in the future but until that happens, I'm done with it.
A few recent examples where the (Mac) App Store cripples apps:
- Drafts get asked to remove widget while other widgets to do the exact same http://www.macrumors.com/2014/12/02/apple-drafts-widget-remo...
- Rejected for slide to start, which is a gesture not even used anymore: http://mjtsai.com/blog/2014/11/25/racesplitter-rejected-for-...
- Sandbox forces feature removal http://mjtsai.com/blog/2014/12/02/garagepays-encryption-remo...
- Notification Center rejection http://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/18/apple-cracks-down-on-nea...
- PCalc got asked to remove calculator but then decision reversed http://www.macstories.net/ios/apple-asks-pcalc-developer-to-...