How to submit Mac OS Input Method app to AppStore

Question

Created Mar ’16

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I developed a fully functional Chinese Input method application, for Mac OS X, which is based on Mac OS X 10.5 Input Method Kit Framework, following Apple's NumberInput_IMKit_Sample: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/samplecode/NumberInput_IMKit_Sample/Introduction/Intro.html

After I submitted it to Mac OS appStore, it was rejected, since Input Method application is background only application, it does not have user interface.

How can I submit Input Method application (background only application) to Mac OS appStore?

Thanks.

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Answer 1

KMT OP

Mar ’16

You may want to distribute your framework via github, instead.

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Answer 2

sanvital OP

May ’16

I am curious how things have progressed with your Input Method submission to the Mac App Store? If nothing else, could you share the details of Apple's rejection of your submission, e.g. did it specify the section of the Mac App Store Guidelines that were violated by your app?

In reading through the Mac App Store Review Guidelines, it seems like 2.14 and/or 2.15 would be the relevant obstacles for App Store distribution of an Input Method component:

2.14 Apps must be packaged and submitted using Apple's packaging technologies included in Xcode - no third party installers allowed

2.15 Apps must be self-contained, single application installation bundles, and cannot install code or resources in shared locations

since Input Method components need to be copied into ~/Library/Input Methods or /Library/Input Methods.

I'm in the early stages of my own Input-Method-based project, and it would be helpful to know for certain that Apple App Store distribution of such a project is not allowed (at which point, Apple's Distributing Apps Outside the Mac App Store looks like the official starting-point, and a post like Releasing Outside the App Store seems like a good read).

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Answer 3

ratreya OP

Jan ’21

I have the same issue but the official answer from Apple was no. On the other hand, iOS has the ability to deploy a custom keyboard encapsulated within a top-level application that users install from the App Store. It would be ideal and consistent if Mac OS also supported something similar. From experience, I can tell you that distributing IMEs outside of the App Store is a major pain for both the developer and users.

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