iOS app with webview that opens a mobile friendly website

Question

aburnazy OP

Created Dec ’16

Replies 2

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Views 6.9k

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Hi all,

Recently there has been some change in the wording of App Store Review Guidelines, previously it stated:

2.7 Apps that download code in any way or form will be rejected

Which I interpreted as iOS apps are not allowed to download js/css/html files from the server, hence an iOS app consisting of a webview that opens a mobile webapp url and adds some native features (push notifications) will be rejected.

In the current text of App Store Review Guidelines, the previous point 2.7 is not included, and instead there is:

2.5.2 Apps should be self-contained in their bundles, and may not read or write data outside the designated container area, nor may they download, install, or execute code, including other iOS, watchOS, macOS, or tvOS apps.

The webapp that we intend to package as an application from webview, is fully mobile optimized and mobile friendly does not contain any external links so that user can not possibly navigate to other webistes from within the application.

Besides the webapp provided functionality push notifications are added into application.

Please advise if you know cases with iOS apps that open a mobile webapp url were accepted or rejected by Apple review team,

or if you think I missed some parts of the new review guidelines by which this kind of apps will be rejected.

Thanks in Advance

Boost

Answer 1

PBK OP

Dec ’16

The new guideline is grammericallyicentical to the old guideline excedpt for "will be rejected" being replaced with "may not". Note that a set of examples is just a few examples and cannot be interpreted as limiting. Here are the essential parts of the old and new guidelines parsed to show their relevant content:

old - 2.7 Apps that download code ....... will be rejected

new - 2.5.2 Apps .....may not .....nor may they download.... code.

Your question could be - may I download certain commands imbedded in html in a webpage or is that considered "downloading code"? I think the answer to that may be "yes you may" but it may depend on exactly what that code is actually doing. If the code has the ability to alter the functioning of the app then, I suspect, no.

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Answer 2

KMT OP

Dec ’16

Given no (iOS) apps in the store now are any promise of your (web)app's success/failure, especiially since the guidelines have yet again been updated, you might want to move this to the iOS Web Appsforum.

My opinion is that the rewording hasn't changed anything, however, and your success hinges more on making a unique app that isn't just a repacking web(app)site, and for that call, and since app review isn't here and there are no pre-reviews, you'll need to best effort and take your chances in review.

Good luck.

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