Organization (Health/University) desires a mobile app for their content currently stored in CMS

Question

alex.pritchard.levelupdevelop OP

Created Mar ’22

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Hello,

I'm working with a health / university organization that wants a mobile application for their educational content.

(In short, it's CMS / course content. Similar to what you could build in WordPress or BlackBoard.)

One idea is that we could wrap an app around a webview to render CMS content.

My concern is that the app could be rejected due to Apple's guidelines on apps having to provide a unique, value-added experience for mobile: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#minimum-functionality

I understand this, but given that this is a health/university organization and having a mobile app is a requirement for their contracts, would we still be able to push the app forward?

To add onto this, our other option is to use the CMS in a headless way and render HTML through native components using a plugin, but it will still be quite some time before we would have an experienced truly catered to native / mobile.

I can see that there are a good number of "information" apps from other organizations, that I could see being rejected for these same guidelines but weren't... so I think we have at least a half-decent chance of making our case, but:

I don't want to take any chances and
I need to know what to tell the organization stakeholders what they should do regarding the app through their business / organizational account.

Has anyone has any experience with this?

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Answer 1

Claude31 OP

Mar ’22

having a mobile app is a requirement for their contracts

I don't think that's an argument reviewer will ear.

I can see that there are a good number of "information" apps from other organizations, that I could see being rejected for these same guidelines but weren't

The fact that another app that you consider is violating guideline has been accepted is not an argument either for reviewer.

No one can tell in advance what reviewer decision would be. But my guess is that it such a direct violation of guideline that you seriously risk rejection.

So IMHO the only option is to:

submit the app
explain in notice to reviewer your arguments why your app should be accepted
wait and hope.

I need to know what to tell the organization stakeholders what they should do

explain what the situation is
either they have to accept the rule (which is not yours)
or change their own requirement to have a mobile app
Or, find with them added functionalities that will max chances of being accepted (and have them pay for this extra development)…

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