Apple Sounds is an app I threw together to learn how to put apps in the app store before I put up my demo app.

This app is basically dead now.

I did learn there is a lot to getting an app in the app store. Up to the point of getting rejected at least. There might be a huge amount further for apps worthy enough to get accepted.

A requirement for the submission is a privacy policy so I wrote this page "privacy policy" so I had a URL to submit. Of course someday I'll have to make a serious one for whatever app I might make.

One thought about the "privacy policy" stuff is that Apple gathers so much information for submitting an app, including a lot about "privacy", so why don't they generate that, or at least a template for developers. But most interesting about this point is that they don't keep it on their servers and provide the URL.

The first submission for review they looked at the Mac version.

It was rejected for "performance" - beta testing or something else, and a legal mistake - use of the name Apple in the name of the app.

The legal thing is probably not illegal in itself, but if the app was to make money, and the Apple name was a part of that, Apple might have a position to sue for the money. In App Store of course they have full control, so they stop everything they might not like before they have to consider if they like it or not (and have to take legal action if not).

So I changed the name from "Apple Sounds" to "Sounds by Apple (TM) devices".

And I changed the description for the App Store to :

Plays built in sounds on demand without the need to cause a sound to be played. For example to use a sound heard on Apple Computer products for fun, or possibly for use in media productions (with proper authorisation from Apple). An additional possible use would be if a developer of products on the Apple platform would like to find the number of a particular sound to use. (Please note - this app is not from Apple Computers.)

After resubmitting my review requests, Apple Computers responds with :

Guideline 4.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality


We found that the usefulness of your app is limited by the minimal amount of content or features it includes.

Next Steps

We encourage you to review your app concept and incorporate different content and features that are in compliance with the App Review Guidelines.

We understand that there are no hard and fast rules to define useful or entertaining, but Apple and Apple customers expect apps to provide a really great user experience. Apps should provide valuable utility or entertainment, draw people in by offering compelling capabilities or content, or enable people to do something they couldn't do before or in a way they couldn't do it before.

I had a few things in mind for expanding the app, but still nothing useful. Maybe a bit more entertaining, but with everything included, probably would not meet with Apple's vision of an Apple Store with only high-quality products of value to many.

But at least I have learned the extensive, not complex but not simplified process of submitting apps for consideration for the possibility of the honor of being put in the App Store.

This old app seems work on an Xcode simulator on a Mac. If there is a way to get it working on an IPhone, I would like to know, then it is possible to distribute apps to iOS without the App Store, and Apple's approval and tracking.