Hello everyone,
I recently submitted my iOS app for review, but it was unfortunately rejected under Guideline 2.1(a) - Performance - App Completeness.
For context, my app is a healthcare application built with Ionic.
According to the App Review team's message, they found the app to be incomplete. They stated they were unable to review the app because they couldn't get past the login screen.
The Root Cause: Upon investigating, we discovered the issue is related to IP Geo-blocking. Because the app handles sensitive healthcare data, our API provider strictly blocks all network traffic originating from outside of Italy to legally comply with European GDPR regulations.
Since the App Review team tests from the US, their requests are being entirely blocked by the firewall, causing the login to fail and the app to look broken on their end.
What I have verified so far:
I have provided valid demo account credentials in the App Store Connect App Review Information section.
I have tested the app thoroughly on physical devices and simulators (iOS 16/17) in Italy and couldn't reproduce any crashes or login issues.
My Questions for the Community: Has anyone successfully navigated this situation before?
Will Apple accept a detailed video demonstration of the app functioning correctly from an Italian IP?
Is it possible to request that they review it using a local VPN?
Or is the only reliable solution to build a completely separate "mock" environment with dummy data just for the App Review team?
Are there any common pitfalls I might be overlooking here? Any advice on how to properly address this with the App Review Board would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
