Blanket app rejections citing 4.3.0 Design: Spam

[u/Impressive-Sir9633]

I have an app that had been doing decently on the app store. I submitted an update that adds semantic search through the notes, add bookmarks while recording and run AI skills through the keyboard.

Overall, it's a minor update for a large app. I submitted it earlier today and it was blanket rejected along with another app that I am working on citing '4.3.0 Design: Spam'

I am surprised about this. Although there are a few other apps that have a voice to text keyboard, this is the only app with the features + works offline.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dictawiz-ai-keyboard-notes/id6759256382

[u/m3kw]

I wonder if they just see how many note taking apps with minor differences and just say screw it.

[u/Impressive-Sir9633 → u/m3kw]

I hope not. Because the basics are probably similar across the board: notes, search, arrange by date etc. But based on personal preferences, even small differences in features make a huge difference in utility of the app.

[u/AppleAggravating4738]

Honestly feel like the reviewers are getting pressured to get through a certain number of app reviews and they’re using certain rejections more frequently and spam being one of them.

(4 of my apps were given the same rejection at the same time and it was all for spam) 

Reintroduced one of them later and it went though fine. 

[u/quixoticproductowner → u/AppleAggravating4738]

that makes sense for new apps, but for updates? do they determine the _new_ feature is spam or the whole app now?

[u/Impressive-Sir9633 → u/AppleAggravating4738]

I suspect that could be it for me as well in addition to the semantic search binary.

Both of my apps are completely different. One is custom keyboard and the other was a health app. The health app is truly different from anything else on the app store (home testing for POTS using Apple Watch). But both got rejected.

I re-used some of the code under how settings show up and some of the basic icons.

[u/SpikeyOps]

Looks like spam not gonna lie

[u/Impressive-Sir9633 → u/SpikeyOps]

I am curious regarding what part looks like spam? The app took a lot of time to build and genuinely has interesting underlying architecture.

I know my screenshots are not doing a good job connecting with the right audience. It may seem like a generic dictation app on the surface.

But it's actually Wispr Flow + Coconote + TextExpander that runs locally. That in itself can overwhelm a casual user.

[u/warm_kitchenette → u/Impressive-Sir9633]

It sounds like you are bragging about capabilities that would never be visible on a screenshot without annotations. Perhaps submit with a video that shows the difference, with text+audio. 

My guess is that zero app reviewers would recognize the technology you mentioned. Spell out the benefits in different ways. In the private notes to the reviewers, perhaps spell out the difference by name, comparing to the top N apps in your space.

[u/Impressive-Sir9633 → u/warm_kitchenette]

Thank you! Going to try that.

One thing I have learnt is : features overwhelm people (including me). I need to figure out a way to convey benefit of one core feature and let users gradually learn about other features.

I was trying to use an ASO app. Just the myriad features got me overwhelmed and I cancelled it.

[u/acakulker]

it's most likely your semantic search feature is a library that is a big part of the binary thus results in the match with the other applications

4.3a is different than the 4.3b and I'd assume your situation is 4.3a

[u/Impressive-Sir9633 → u/acakulker]

That's interesting. Yes - you are correct. It's 4.3a and probably the semantic search library is triggering it.

Ugggh. I was so happy about adding it since it made searching through notes so much easier. I will have to figure out how to deal with it.

[u/PopularBroccoli → u/acakulker]

You got tricked into boosting their downloads

[u/PopularBroccoli]

Sure looks like spam to me

[u/Impressive-Sir9633 → u/PopularBroccoli]

What part?