copycat

Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with an Apple Developer account “Pending Termination” notice. What happened Yesterday I received a Pending Termination notice for my Apple Developer account (not just a single app). This is a huge deal for me because it affects all apps under the account. The notice cites 3.2(f) and 5.6.2 (Developer Identity). It includes language like: Evidence of Dishonest or Fraudulent Activity You provided fraudulent and/or false account information, documentation, or otherwise falsely represented yourself or your submitted app to Apple either during the account enrollment process or after the account was created. What I discovered (my mistake) After the notice, I did a deeper self-audit and found something that looks bad and could be contributing: One of my apps has a supporting website built from an AI template that look like tea app, the app itself have original code. The Privacy Policy page on the website was empty, and the footer copyright name was wrong (

My app got rejected because of Guideline 4.1 Copycat. The name of my game is Color Jumper and even though it worked on Google Play, apparently there is already a game out there called Color Jumper. Can I just add words after to avoid this (something like Color Jumper: Jump to Survive or Color Jumper: Switch and Jump) or can I not use the words Color Jumper in my title at all? Thanks!

My application does not compete with the developer. It’s an extension which sits on top of their website. Its only use is to work with their website. Without using their name, the extension does not make any sense. The developer not only has no issue with it - some of their own employees use the extension. To get documentation from developer, that’s easy. However, two questions: Developer wants to know what needs to be provided? An email, A statement? How / what format would be required they are asking? How does such above documentation get submitted / included in subsequent updates to Not hinder approval? The app went through 8 positive reviews / approvals and then all of a sudden this happened out of no where. So not understanding what changed on Apples side and how/what is sufficient documentation (email, statement, PDF, ????) from developer? thanks.

Hello, I’m looking for advice from developers who may have encountered similar App Review situations. I have an iOS game (“Next Run Game”), a fantasy roguelike RPG. App version 1.0.13 was reviewed and approved by App Review, but it was not released publicly on the App Store. Later, I submitted version 1.0.14. This update contained only minor changes: small balance tweaks bug fixes localization text fixes No changes were made to metadata or presentation: app name icon screenshots description branding overall concept After submitting version 1.0.14, the app began to be rejected under: Guideline 4.3 (Spam) later also Guideline 4.1 (Copycats) The review messages are generic and state that the app or its metadata “appears to be misrepresenting itself as another popular app,” but no specific example, reference app, or concrete issue has been provided. What is confusing to me: The same app (version 1.0.13) was previously approved by App Review. Metadata did not change between the approved and rejected submi

Title: Mistaken 4.3(a) “Spam/Copycat” Flag → 3.2(f) Termination — Seeking Guidance on Reinstatement Hi everyone, I’m an independent developer and I believe my account was escalated to termination because of a misunderstanding around Guideline 4.3(a) – Design – Spam and 4.1 – Design – Copycats. I want to explain the full timeline so I can get advice on how to present this correctly in the “Re-instate a terminated membership” request. 1. What I submitted I submitted an app called “Anime Jigsaw: Waifu Puzzles.” The idea was simple: it’s a jigsaw puzzle app, but I wanted to make it more relaxing by combining anime/waifu themed puzzle images with built-in lo‑fi music. So the concept I was aiming for was: puzzle + themed art + calming music, not just another generic jigsaw clone. 2. First rejection Apple rejected it under 4.3(a) – Design – Spam and also mentioned 4.1 – Copycats. The exact wording in App Store Connect said my app’s binary, metadata and/or concept was similar to apps that w

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 anyone. Team ID: 93LGGK4LG4 Apple ID: 6751961511 Please App

Hi, Since last week, I’ve been trying to publish the new version of my Voxel game, which aims to fix many bugs and significantly optimize the game. This update is very important for improving the overall quality of the game. Unfortunately, this version is not being accepted on the App Store due to a Design - Copycats issue related to guideline 4.1. I’ve tried everything to resolve the problem by changing the screenshots, app preview, description, game name, icons, and even all metadata that could cause issues in the build. But nothing seems to work. I keep receiving the same rejection just a few minutes after submitting my build for review. Here is the full warning message: —————— “Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats This app or its metadata appears to be misrepresenting itself as another popular app or game already available on the App Store, from a developer's website or distribution source, or from a third-party platform. Apps should be unique and should not attempt to deceive users into th

Hi. After a few attempts to submit my game, it is still rejected with the following reason: Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats The submitted app is designed and developed 100% from the scratch, and I don't know the reason of the issue, as I can’t identify which part of the metadata is the issue. After sending a messages to moderation team asking to specify which exactly part of the metadata is the issue, and which other app do they mean, I’m still getting the same template reply, referring to the “Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats”. I have even updated the icon, believing that it was the reason of issue, but it was not a solution. Now I don’t really know what to do? Here is the full warning message: —————— “Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats This app or its metadata appears to be misrepresenting itself as another popular app or game already available on the App Store, from a developer's website or distribution source, or from a third-party platform. Apps should be unique and should no

Hello everyone, My app was recently rejected under Guideline 4.1 – Design: Copycats. The review team mentioned that my app or its metadata appears to be misrepresenting itself as another popular app or service, and therefore was not approved. This came as a surprise, because my app is an original trading journal product that I’ve built from scratch. While there are other trading journals in the market, my app has unique features and a different design. I did not intend to copy or impersonate any existing app. I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has gone through a similar rejection: What kind of changes did you make to get past this rejection? Should I focus more on branding (name, logo, color scheme) to differentiate? Is it helpful to write an explanation to the App Review team describing how my app is unique? Any tips or experiences would be very helpful, since I want to make sure my app stands out clearly and avoids any resemblance issues. Thank you in advance!

We have been developing our game “Ailem Olur Musun” for 8 months and submitted it to the App Store. However, our application was rejected under Guideline 4.1 – Copycats. Our game is a completely original project. Its story, visuals, logo, and design were all created from scratch by our team members. The main character of the game is a delivery worker, and the drawing we made for this character is used as the game’s symbol. Despite this, our application was rejected on the grounds that it was considered to be “imitating another popular game.” This game has also been published on the Play Store and has achieved a significant number of downloads and reviews. How can I best explain this to the review team?

Our app ХАЙП ИГРЫ (HYPE GAMES) keeps getting rejected under Guideline 4.1 – Copycats, but we’re not receiving any specific feedback or examples of what exactly is being flagged. We’ve fully rebuilt the app multiple times: All content is now original (graphics, UI, icons, name, etc.) The app does not refer to or imitate any existing brand or app The same version was already approved on Google Play We've removed anything that could even theoretically be misinterpreted as copycat content However, App Review continues to send the same generic message saying the app “appears to misrepresent itself,” without pointing to any concrete element, screenshot, or example. We’ve explicitly asked for clarification or even a single screenshot of the issue, but the replies remain copy-pasted and non-informative. Has anyone else faced this issue? What can be done if App Review won’t identify what’s wrong? We genuinely want to comply and are ready to fix any real problem, but right now we are just guessing — a