Apple has launched some promised changes to its App Store Review process that give developers a tiny bit more flexibility when navigating App Store Guidelines.
The company now says that it won’t delay bug fixes over App Store Guideline violations in most cases, with the exception being violations “related to legal issues.” Any guideline violations can now instead be addressed in the app’s next submission, leaving bug fixes to launch as necessary.
In a similar vein, Apple has opened up a pathway for developers to suggest changes to the App Store Guidelines themselves. Apple pitches the feature as a way it “can continue to improve experiences for the developer community,” and while Apple’s willingness to take feedback on its policies remains to be seen, it does make for a more open channel of communication as far as the App Store Guidelines are concerned.
Those curious about how exactly they can submit their feedback can find more info in Apple’s developer portal.
These changes aren't explicitly a reaction to Apple’s current back-and-forth with Fortnite-maker Epic Games as these changes were first foreshadowed at WWDC20 earlier this year, but the timing is a bit hard to ignore. The two companies are currently locked in a legal battle that stems from Epic’s vocal complaints about some of Apple’s App Store policies, namely those that bar other payment methods or storefronts from operating on iOS.
The most recent development in that battle saw Apple following through on its threat to pull Epic Games' Apple developer account and thus end iOS support for its games, though Unreal Engine will continue to operate uninterrupted by the falling out due to a temporary restraining order granted by the courts last week.