Developers, beware: Apple is rejecting apps that use emojis as interface elements

It seems that, from now on, developers all over the world will have one more limitation when creating (or updating) their applications: Apple is starting to create problems with apps that use their emojis interface elements or any parts of the software that are not directly editable by the user.

Who first noticed the change in App Store policies was developer Sam Eckert, creator of the Bittracker app:

official. It is forbidden to use emojis. Meanwhile, Instagram and Yubo just released updates with them and apparently had no problems.

I was on the phone with the App Store team, talking about the emoji problem.

Apps CANNOT MORE USE EMOJIS in situations where the keyboard is not involved. That is, if your app shows an emoji anywhere that has not been typed by the user, this is illegal and it will be rejected.

The developer also points out inconsistencies in Apple's policy: while he is forced to remove the graphic elements of his app, great hits of the online store, like Instagram, continue to use them without any problems. 🤭

Apple's emojis, of course, are the company's intellectual property and are protected by all laws regarding this type of element, which may even explain the recent change in WhatsApp and Slack, which stopped using Ma's stickers for implement a set (very similar, good to note) designed internally. However, even today Cupertino did not seem to mind that developers used emojis within their apps, and this sudden change of moods does not seem to have hit everyone the same way. 😦

Apple has not updated the App Store guidelines to specifically refer to apps that use emojis in its interface, but the company's right to ban apps that use its intellectual property without authorization has always been explicit. So, officially, the stickers never went released for indistinct use only that the company turned a blind eye to the issue. Until now. 😐

Returning to Eckert, the professional stated that, due to the thankless novelty, having to remove all emojis from Bittracker and, with this, make the application lose a good part of its “ldico” appeal. Of course, developers can, like WhatsApp, discard Apple stickers in favor of their own creations, but this involves spending on designers and digital illustrators, something that not everyone can do overnight. So it would be interesting to see a minimum of common sense on the part of Apple; who knows maybe an early warning? Was that too much to ask? 🤔

via 9to5Mac