Notes ·
Apple Rejected the Screenshots, Not the App
A developer behind Wiseday complained that Apple “won’t let me show my app” after an App Store submission was rejected because most of its screenshots did not show the application being used.
Apple’s explanation was straightforward: promotional graphics are not substitutes for screenshots, and most of the submitted images need to demonstrate the app’s actual features and interface. The developer argued that these requirements conflicted because the product’s main output is a printed daily planner.
The Hacker News comments were unusually united: Apple was right. Only two of the six images apparently showed the application, the listing did not clearly explain what the product did, and the rejection included a simple, actionable way to fix it. One commenter even noted that the replacement screenshots were substantially better and made the app immediately understandable.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons to complain about Apple’s App Store review process. This was not one of them.
The developer built an entire argument about overwhelmed reviewers, vague rules and the flood of vibe-coded applications, only to publish screenshots that failed the most basic requirement: show people the app. Apple asked for clearer screenshots, the developer supplied them, and the listing improved.
Sometimes the gatekeeper is not suppressing your creative vision. Sometimes your screenshots are just bad.