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“copycat”

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Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats change to Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam

Regarding 4.1, I deleted the ranking and text of the title according to your instructions and submitted it. It turned into 4.3(a) spam. How should I deal with it? Why did it become 4.3? The following is the information given by the 2nd review team Hello, Thank you for your resubmission. Upon further review, we identified additional issues that need your attention. See below for more information. If you have any questions, we are here to help. Reply to this message in App Store Connect and let us know. Review Environment Submission ID: fd44c6b9-ff2d-4ee5-bf5c-c1ede1a5b6b4 Review date: June 10, 2024 Version reviewed: 1.0.0 Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats The app or its metadata appears to contain potentially misleading references to third-party content. Specifically, the app includes content that resembles one or multiple third-party sports teams and/or leagues without the necessary authorization. Next Steps If you have the necessary rights to distribute an app with this third-party content, attach d

Design General

1.3k

Jun ’24

Reply to App stuck in 'Waiting for Review' for 2 weeks

i had the same experience and then my account was closed I submitted a puzzle app called “Anime Jigsaw” to App Store Connect. The App Store Connect team initially rejected the app due to minor errors. I then fixed the errors and resubmitted it, but this time they said it violated “Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats” and that I didn't write the code. I responded that I wrote the code and could prove it. They rejected it again, citing Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats,“ and I explained that my app was different from other puzzle apps because you solve puzzles while listening to Lo-Fi music. But this time, they issued a ”Pending Termination Notice“ and started saying ”Evidence of Dishonest or Fraudulent Activity. I am definitely not a scammer. I am trying to communicate with the App Store Connect team, but they are trying to close my account and label it as “Fraudulent Activity.” Why are you doing this? How can I resolve this? My account will be closed in 30 days, and I can't communicate with an

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Oct ’25

Reply to App removed from sale

Thank you for your instruction. We had a pusoy card game (just simulating gambling, not real money) and got rejected since August 09. Now that we created an organization account and transfer the removede from sale apps to new account then submit it. However, Apple still rejects it as copycat. Have you published the apps successfully yet? Could you share with us. Thank you so much in advance

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Sep ’18

Reply to Notarization stuck In Progress for 2+ days

Update: We received an App Review rejection on 2026-03-17 06:02 UTC for Guideline 4.1(a) (Copycats - references to OpenClaw). The notarization queue started failing at 2026-03-17 09:06 UTC, exactly 3 hours after the rejection. Could this App Review rejection have triggered a backend review of our account affecting notarization?

Code Signing Notarization

16h

Reply to If the standards are different every time you review, is there such a thing as a standard?

It's been rejected eight times now. One reviewer made it clear that the icon of my app was the problem. (Reviewer also captured and attached my icon image.) So I sent a reply that I modified it with the revised design image, and the reviewer even replied as below. Thank you for your reply. We apply your effects to complain with the App Store Review Guidelines, and we look forward to review your submitted app. But they rejected my app in the review with a captured image of my app. I couldn't understand the meaning of the captured image, so I typed a square in all the parts corresponding to the captured image and replied, Which part is the copycat? but there was no answer, and I kept rejecting it as the copycat. Now, without saying exactly what part of it is a copycat, it just repeats, Specifically, your app includes content that resembles VPET. I think I'm talking about an app called VPET, which has already been posted on the App Store, so I replied that VPET, which I'm now posting o

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Dec ’22

Reply to iOS App Store app copycats during delayed release/beta testing

Apple will allow an app with a slightly different name and similar function. The fight is between you and that “copycat”. Apple will facilitate a communication between them and you but you need to assert either contract or ip law to get them to stop. Do you have a trademark on the name that is damaged by their use of a similar name?; Do you have any patents on inventions necessary for the app to function?; Did they agree to not copy the idea before you included them in TestFlight? If not, your only hope is that they don’t and you can outperform or outmarket them.

App Store Distribution & Marketing General

Jan ’18

Reply to Rejected - Guideline 4.2 - Minimal functionality

I would disagree with KMT on his first reply. If Apple felt your app was too similar to existing apps that would have rejected it with 4.1 Copycats. I would just keep following up with them. It might not be clear to the reviewer that there are multiple levels depending how the user progresses through the game. I had 4.2 rejection for a simple utility app and I just kept adding features until they finally approved it.

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Jun ’18

Reply to CopyCat Rejection - what documents are required to verify that the app is mine?

if I am a solo developer with every right to my own app. I don't think that's the point. You could be a solo developer, having fully developed the app but have designed it very similar to another app. Or your app name or visual appear too similar to an existing app. The fact that it is on another store does not matter for the reviewer. Have you searched the appstore for such similar app ? Once you have found you could either modify your app or try to explain to reviewer why it is not copycat (more difficult).

App Store Distribution & Marketing General

Apr ’24

Reply to If the standards are different every time you review, is there such a thing as a standard?

Wait until the copyright expires in 2040ish. Or, ask whoever owns the rights for permission and send the contract to Apple. Or, get an intellectual property lawyer to write an opinion saying you’re not infringing anything and send that to Apple. Fundamentally it sounds like whoever owns the rights to VPET has complained to Apple about copycat apps and now Apple filters them out. There have been a few similar cases. Apple will not attempt to arbitrate, they will just reject everything until there is no mention and no similarity.

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Dec ’22

Reply to Apple rejecting our app for copying/resembling ITSELF?!

Hi! Our App is 'Mort's Bedtime Stories'. Apple have never approved it, they just keep saying Specifically, your app includes content that resembles Mort's Bedtime Stories. And reject it. Of course it includes content from 'Mort's Bedtime Stories' as it IS 'Mort's Bedtime Stories'. We are Mortis Media, the youtube channel (over 300k subs). This is our App. This is very frustrating as our subscribers funded this app, and it's been ready for weeks, but just keeps getting rejected for copycat. We have submitted documents explaining we ARE Mortis Media, but it makes no difference. Any help would really be appreciated.

App Store Distribution & Marketing General

Feb ’22

Reply to iOS App Store app copycats during delayed release/beta testing

>I am worried about someone making a copycat app with the exact name and getting approved by Apple.Exact name (Liquid - Dynamic Workout) is one thing...variants such as Liquid Workout are another. Exact names can't be used in the same country.Who knows how app review will react to a same-only-different name, which may be only one factor during review.I woudn't count on every variation of your app you can think of running afoul/being spotted/actionable during review.

App Store Distribution & Marketing General

Jan ’18

Reply to Guideline 4.1 Copy Cats - Questions

Are you sure they speak of the images oand not of the app itself which would look like many other similar apps ?They speak of copycat, not copyright.4.1 CopycatsCome up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don’t simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app’s name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn’t fair to your fellow developers.

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Mar ’20

Reply to Fake Reviews

Hello Tomato,I would tell you to use the Report a concern button, but it doesn't work. This developer only has a couple dozen copycat apps. I checked some of the reviews. Mostly they look legitimate. Many were one-star but obviously wrong, blaming the developer because the user didn't know how to use the LaunchPad. That one reviewer only has 3 review and they are years apart.I hate to tell you this, but in the context of the Mac App Store, this developer is really top-tier - the cream of the crop. Most are much, much worse.

App Store Distribution & Marketing General

Sep ’17

App rejection - Design Copycats - Proving that the identity of app developer is same as the brand of the app

Our app has been rejected for the following reason -Guideline 4.1 - Design - CopycatsYour app or its metadata appears to contain potentially misleading content. Specifically, your app includes content that resembles XYZ without the necessary authorization.Please demonstrate your relationship with any third-party brand owners represented in your app.Since the organization that operates this apple developer account also owns the brand and website of XYZ, please let me know what documentation/proof is needed to prove to Apple that the app actually belongs to us. Also how/where must this information be posted to apple.Thanks!

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review App Review

6.9k

May ’18

Reply to 4.3 Design Guidelines - Apple please reconsider how this is enforced.

>That is now being dictated by the Appstore, which I feel is very unfair toward developers who are not spamming or cloning games, but rather, providing a specific audience with the exact app they are looking for. After all, marketing is 100% of what makes an app successful these days. The gold rush days of the appstore are over, so if you don't have marketing, you don't have a specific target market in mind, then you don't have any reason to release an app in the first place. And that is what scares us the most as indie developers.How is this not spamming or cloning? Apple is going in right direction - App Store is flooded with copycat apps.

App Store Distribution & Marketing App Review

Sep ’17