Apple Will Allow Developers to 'Challenge' App Store Review Guidelines Starting This Summer

Apple today announced that it is launching an online version of its App Store lab, providing developers with another avenue to share feedback to help improve the App Store. Apple's new developer forums will also serve as a platform for developers to share their suggestions so that Apple can implement changes that benefit the community.


Additionally, two changes are coming to the App Store review process this summer. First, in addition to developers being able to appeal decisions about whether an app violates a given guideline of the App Store Review Guidelines, they will be able to "challenge" the guideline itself. Second, Apple says bug fixes for existing apps will no longer be delayed over guideline violations except for those related to legal issues. Instead, developers will be able to address the issue in their next submission through App Store Connect.

Apple's marketing chief and App Store lead Phil Schiller:

The Apple developer community inspires us all with apps that help more than a billion users, transform industries, and change the world. This WWDC, we've introduced innovative new APIs, frameworks, and tools designed to help developers take their app experiences further and reach even more users. The App Store ecosystem is more diverse, dynamic, and successful than it has ever been, but we know that to make it better for everyone, there is more we must do together. This year at WWDC20, we've added online App Store Labs, extended the annual App Store developer survey, and more because we want to hear directly from hundreds of thousands of developers on how they want us to improve the App Store for them, and for users.

These changes come days after Apple faced renewed scrutiny over its App Store practices, including the European Commission's announcement that it will be investigating Apple's in-app purchase system. In particular, Basecamp and some other developers have taken issue with Apple's long-standing 30 percent commission from in-app purchases.

Tags: App Store, App Store Review Guidelines

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Apple Inviting Some Users to Beta Test New HomePod Software

Apple is inviting some AppleSeed members to test the new HomePod software as well as the new versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, according to reports on the MacRumors forums.


Those invited to test the new ‌HomePod‌ software will be able to try out new features ahead of release. With the update, the ‌HomePod‌ is gaining support for third-party music services for the first time, a feature that will allow the speaker to work with Spotify, Pandora, and other music options by default without the need to use AirPlay.

‌HomePod‌, which serves as a home hub option for HomeKit, is also getting a new feature that will let it announce when a HomeKit-connected doorbell has been rung.

Apple's ‌HomePod‌ software is usually tested internally and is not typically provided to developers, so we'll need to wait to see if a version is eventually added to the developer site or distributed to public beta testers. If not, most users will need to wait until the new software is released in the fall to try it out.

Related Roundup: HomePod

Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Caution)

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iOS 14 Brings QuickTake Feature to iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max

Apple's iOS 14 brings the QuickTake feature that was introduced for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max to Apple's 2018 iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max.


Introduced with the 2019 iPhone lineup, QuickTake is a feature that lets you record video by holding down the shutter button in photo mode so you can capture a video-worthy moment right away without needing to swap camera modes.

At launch, QuickTake was only included in Apple's new ‌iPhone‌ lineup, but with ‌iOS 14‌, the older ‌iPhone XR‌, XS, and XS Max can use the option. QuickTake was also added to the new 2020 iPhone SE.

Apple is also introducing a new feature that lets you capture QuickTake video on compatible devices by holding the Volume Down button, which is an even faster way to record video.

Holding the Volume Up button allows users to capture burst photos, which is another new feature.

Related Roundup: iOS 14

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Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2020 in 13 Minutes

Today's digital WWDC keynote event was jam packed with announcements, with Apple debuting iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7, tvOS 14, and, most notably, its work on custom-designed chips that will be used in Macs in the future.

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For those that didn't have a chance to watch the keynote event and don't want to spend two hours listening to all of the announcements, we've condensed everything Apple announced into 13 minutes, providing a quick recap of everything notable.

In addition to our video, we've also rounded up all of our coverage of Apple's announcements to give you a complete review of everything new that's worth knowing about.

‌iOS 14‌

• iOS 14 Features New Translate App With Support for 11 Languages and Offline Mode


• iOS 14 Includes Picture-in-Picture Mode for iPhone


• iOS 14 Adds Subtle Design for Siri That Doesn't Take Up Entire Screen


• iPhone and Apple Watch Becoming Digital Car Keys, Feature Rolling Out to BMW Customers Next Month


• New iOS 14 Feature 'App Clips' Lets You Access Small Part of an App


• iMessage in iOS 14: Mentions, Pinned Conversations, Inline Replies, and More


• Phone Calls Will Finally Stop Taking Up the Entire Screen in iOS 14


• iOS 14 Compatible With iPhone 6s and 6s Plus and Later


• Find My App Gaining Support for Third-Party Products


• Emoji Search Finally Coming to iOS in iOS 14


• Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS and iPadOS 14 to Developers


• iOS 14 Lets Developers Make Subscriptions Available for Family Sharing


• Third-Party Mail and Browser Apps Able to Be Set as Default in iOS and iPadOS 14


• iOS 14 Tidbits and Hidden Features: Privacy Updates, Emoji Picker, New Dark Sky Weather Forecasts and More

‌iPadOS‌ 14

• iPadOS 14 Features Enhanced UIs for Native Apps, Universal Search, New Handwriting Support with Apple Pencil, and More

‌macOS Big Sur‌

• macOS 'Big Sur' Unveiled With Updated Design, New Features for Safari and Messages, and More


• Apple Previews Big Update to Safari on Mac, Featuring New Privacy Tools, Built-in Translation, Improved Tabs, and More


• macOS Big Sur Listed as 'Version 11.0' in System Preferences


• Apple Seeds First Beta of macOS Big Sur to Developers for Testing Purposes


• Apple Adds WebP Image Support in Safari 14


• List of Macs Compatible with macOS Big Sur

watchOS 7

• Apple Announces watchOS 7 With Enhanced Face Customizations, Handwashing Detection, and More


• Apple Watch Getting Hand Washing Feature With 20-Second Countdown and Haptic Feedback


• watchOS 7 Adds New Sleep Tracking Feature to Apple Watch


• Apple Releases First Beta of New watchOS 7 Update to Developers


• watchOS 7 Only Compatible With Apple Watch Series 3 and Later

tvOS 14

• Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 14 to Developers


• tvOS 14 Brings Apple TV Support for AirPods Audio Sharing and Watching YouTube Videos in 4K

Apple Silicon Chips

• Apple Transitioning Macs to Custom Chips With 'Incredible' Performance Within the Next Two Years


• Apple's $500 Developer Program Includes Tools and Resources for Transitioning to Apple Silicon, Plus a Loaner A12Z-Based Mac Mini

AirPods

• AirPods Getting Automatic Switching Between Apple Devices, Theater-Like 'Spatial Audio' Coming to AirPods Pro

Other Announcements

• Complete Transcript of Apple's Keynote


• Revamped Apple Maps App Expanding to UK, Ireland, and Canada Later This Year


• HomePod Gaining Support for Third-Party Music Services


• Apple's Digital Car Key Coming to Broad Array of BMW Models Manufactured After July 1, Requires iOS 13.6


• Apple Shares Teaser for Upcoming Apple TV+ Series 'Foundation'


• Apple Announces ARKit 4 with Location Anchors, Depth API, and Improved Face Tracking


• Apple's Craig Federighi Highlights iOS 14 and MacOS Big Sur Privacy Updates in New Interview

Rewatch the Keynote

For those of you who do want to rewatch the entire keynote, a replay is available in the Apple TV app, on Apple's Events website, in the Apple Developer app, and on YouTube.

Stay Tuned to MacRumors

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors this week because we're going to be sharing in-depth videos and articles highlighting all of the new features in the software updates that Apple introduced today.

We'll also be publishing roundups on everything that you need to know about the new software, and we'll have coverage of each new feature as we delve further into the updates.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2020

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List of Macs Compatible With macOS Big Sur

Apple today previewed macOS Big Sur with redesigned interfaces such as the Dock and Notification Center, the addition of a Control Center, several improvements to core apps like Safari and Messages, and much more.


macOS Big Sur is available in beta for registered Apple developers starting today, with a public beta to follow next month. The free software update will be released to all users with a compatible Mac in the fall, according to Apple.

Macs compatible with macOS Big Sur:

• 2015 and later MacBook


• 2013 and later MacBook Air


• Late 2013 and later MacBook Pro


• 2014 and later iMac


• 2017 and later iMac Pro


• 2014 and later Mac mini


• 2013 and later Mac Pro

Accordingly, the following models capable of running macOS Catalina will not be able to be upgraded to macOS Big Sur:

• 2012 and Early 2013 MacBook Pro


• 2012 MacBook Air


• 2012 and 2013 iMac


• 2012 Mac mini

Related Roundup: macOS Big Sur

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