App Rejected "Your app is not functional when Location Services are disabled"

Question

ben_ito OP

Created Jan ’19

Replies 5

Boosts 0

Views 6.1k

Participants 8

Hi

I have a location based dating app on the App Store since Febuary 2018.
A few times our updates have been rejected because of "Guideline 5.1.5 - Legal - Privacy - Location Services" and this is the message we get in AppStore Connect : "Your app uses location data for features that are not relevant to a user's location. Specifically, your app is not functional when Location Services are disabled." And the next steps : "To resolve this issue, please revise your app so that your app is fully functional without requiring the user to enable Location Services."

What makes me very angry is that apps like Tinder, Happn or Zenly (and there might be others) AREN'T functional without requiring the user to enable Location Services !! There's a modal view that pops up straight after launch which asks you to enable location services.

So my question is, did somebody already encountered this kind of rejection and how did you deal with this problem ?

PS : I have explained in the notes that our app is a location based dating app and needs location services to be functional.

Thanks for your help.

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Answer 1

PBK OP

Jan ’19

Appeal pointing put that your app uses the users location for specific app related functions. Point out that the user is aware of why their location must be provided to the app (I assume they are). Apple is tryting to protect the user from an app that doesn't need to know the location of the user.

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Answer 2

pianosmooth OP

Jan ’19

Whenever I get a rejection, I just do exactly what they ask no matter how ridiculous.

I would set up a dummy search with fake people when location services are turned off.

And each fake / computer person has a request asking for location services to be turned on, if they want to meet an actual human.

Something to that effect.

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Answer 3

appsunicad OP

Sep ’21

I'm having the exactly same issue. My app sends alerts about traffic, and security based on the user location. Of course my app will by useless without the user location.

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Answer 4

vincenzo_calia OP

Mar ’23

I know the post is old but I just had the same problem and haven't found any other post about it so I'll leave the solutions for others that will pop onto it. The problem is that a "UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities" (array) key is missing with the values "gps" and "location-services" in the Info.plist file. Without it the app is meant to be able to run without location services, with it is mandatory and it will get accepted by the reviewer.

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Answer 5

endecotp OP

Mar ’23

> The problem is that a "UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities" (array) key is missing > with the values "gps" and "location-services" in the Info.plist file

Don’t set “gps” unless you really need 1m accuracy; it will prevent your app from working on wifi-only iPads. I think the non-gps locations on those devices should be good enough for e.g. a dating app - unless it’s a dating app for mountaineers!

Also I’m. ot convinced that this is the solution to rejections. I agree with pianosmooth above, just do what they say however ridiculous. In cases like the original post, I’d show a default location with a prominent message saying “location services disabled, tap here to go to settings”. Don’t use (0,0) as your default location, that’s confusing; I suggest something like Alcatraz Island. Don’t choose Cupertino, they will think you have somehow bypassed the restriction!

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