Force to open app with url and register

Dear Apple Developers,


We want to develop an questionnaire app. But before we start developing we have some questions to make sure we don't put energy in an hopeless case.

  • First: questionnaires will be distributed by e-mail. We want users to click a link that opens the app and questionnaire. But without link the app has no functionality. Will Apple approve this? Because we noticed some older rejections stating 'The user should be able log in without opening Safari first.'. Basically the user can only use the app if they open it through the link.
  • Second: depending on the answers the user gives, the user will be forced register or login and provide detailed user information; like gender, age, weight, education... Users won't have an option to continue without registering or logging in. We are not sure what personal information will be asked, because the researchers can ask any question they want.


So the flow will be:

  1. User opens app and can't do anything.
  2. User gets mail with url / goes to website with url.
  3. Clicks url.
  4. The app opens with the depending questionnaire.
  5. User fills out the questions.
  6. For example at 75% the user will be forced to create an account to continue.
  7. The user registers.
  8. The user completes the next 25%.
  9. The data is sent to us.
  10. The user can close the app.
  11. The user opens the app again and can't do anything, because you only get questionnaires by clicking a url. So the app is useless without url.


Hopefully someone can help us out with these questions.


Yours sincerely,


OverNite Software Europe

Replies

I believe you will have problems because:

1) an app must do something when opened by a user

2) an app can't require personal information to do that something

3) you will need certain safeguards because 'researchers can ask any question they want'. See Guideline 1.2

4) you are unlocking content in the app uisng means other than IAP (i.e. that email link)


Each of these is easily handled. For example a solution to each of these is:

1) if the user opens the app just explain to them what the app does and how they can participate - give them a list of researchers to contact; offer them a means to become a researcher themselves (see #4 below).

2) see #1 above

3) you need a means of reporting, removing and blocking offensive material as per 1.2.

4) if you are monitizing the researchers you will need to do that through IAP. It can all be done in the same app and solves #1 and #2 at the same time.


An underlying problem is the possibility that you can sell the researcher the email link for $1.99 per link. Apple may believe that's more appropriately done through IAP. But you could offer anyone the IAP of "create a questionaire" within the app itself. That would come with the ability to send 100 emails or just 100 links to embed in your own email. I like that idea.


Regarding the email link - FYI see the app VR-Pano.

It sounds like all of that could be accomplished with just a web site. If Apple believes that to be the case, you may have a very tough time getting the app approved.

You may want to bias your list against the ASRGs:

1.2; 3.1.1; 3.1.2a; 4.2


>we don't put energy in an hopeless case.


Keep in mind there are no pre-reviews - you can only expect the opinions of other devs here, leaving you to run the review gauntlet to find out what App Review decides.


Good luck.

A questionaire could ask 'where are you now' and 'submit photo of your home' and 'follow my location for 24 hours' and 'answer the question using your voice' and 'say something in a happy voice' and 'write down everything you eat today' and.........can't do that from a website.


It's a great app idea. IMHO.

True, but I don't think he's describing something that elaborate.