Halide's App Store Rejection: A Mistaken Call from Apple
- Halide was rejected from the App Store because a reviewer found its explanation for camera access unclear.
- The app had been in the market for seven years and was recently featured during the iPhone 16 keynote.
- Apple later acknowledged the mistake, allowing Halide to resubmit without any changes required.
Halide, a camera app developed by Lux, faced an unexpected rejection from the App Store due to a perceived lack of clarity in its permission prompt for camera access. Despite having been in the market for seven years, a reviewer deemed the explanation insufficient, questioning why a camera app would need access to the camera. This incident occurred after Halide was featured during the iPhone 16 keynote, highlighting its significance in the Apple ecosystem. Following the rejection, Sebastiaan de Wish from Halide reported that Apple acknowledged the mistake and allowed the app to resubmit without any changes. This situation underscores the challenges developers face with App Store reviews, particularly regarding permission requests, which can sometimes lead to arbitrary decisions by reviewers. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of clear communication in app permissions, especially for applications that rely heavily on specific device features.