
Ask HN: Are 3rd party browsers banned by Apple App Store Guidelines? - applenerdfan
The guidelines say<p>Apple&#x27;s current say<p>&gt; ### 4.7 HTML5 Games, Bots, etc.
&gt;
&gt; Apps may contain or run code that is not embedded in the binary (e.g. HTML5-based games, bots, etc.), as long as code distribution isn’t the main purpose of the app, the code is not offered in a store or store-like interface, and provided that the software (1) is free or purchased using in-app purchase; (2) only uses capabilities available in a standard WebKit view (e.g. it must open and run natively in Safari without modifications or additional software); your app must use WebKit and JavaScript Core to run third-party software and should not attempt to extend or expose native platform APIs to third-party software; (3) is offered by developers that have joined the Apple Developer Program and signed the Apple Developer Program License Agreement; (4) does not provide access to real money gaming, lotteries, or charitable donations; (5) adheres to the terms of these App Review Guidelines (e.g. does not include objectionable content); and (6) does not offer digital goods or services for sale. Upon request, you must provide an index of software and metadata available in your app. It must include Apple Developer Program Team IDs for the providers of the software along with a URL which App Review can use to confirm that the software complies with the requirements above.<p>That sounds like all 3rd party browsers are banned. Breaking it down<p>&gt; Apps may contain or run code that is not embedded in the binary<p>&gt; ... provided that the software ...<p>&gt; (3) is offered by developers that have joined the Apple Developer Program and signed the Apple Developer Program License Agreement<p>Which means downloading random webpages that run software from users and sites that are not in Apple&#x27;s Developer Programs is against that rules.<p>That would mean all 3rd party browsers are banned. What am I missing?<p>https:&#x2F;&#x2F;developer.apple.com&#x2F;app-store&#x2F;review&#x2F;guidelines&#x2F;#third-party-software
======
drannex
Sadly you are required to use their browser rendering engine. This has been
their stance since the start, horrible for developers, great for their
dominance.

~~~
applenerdfan
you're missing the point.

According to the rules above you're not allow to use their browser engine to
build a browser. Every piece of software that run in your WebView has to be
supplied by Apple licensed developers. So a browser would be banned because
the websites visited are not by apple licensed developers.

------
colejohnson66
I’m not an iOS developer, but the way Firefox and Chrome get around it is by
using Safari internally. In addition, JITed code is not allowed, but
interpreted is.

~~~
applenerdfan
Please read the rules above.

It doesn't matter that Firefox and Chrome use Safari internally. The rules
above say all code run in that internal Safari must be written by Apple
licensed developers.

~~~
Tomte
No, they don't. They say "the software" must be from licensed developers. Not
the code itself. All those numbered sentences have "the software" as the
subject.

------
detaro
By that logic, no app could show a website anywhere. Clearly, Apple doesn't
consider websites to be "code" in the sense of that section.

------
tinus_hn
What is your point? Apple is not bound by these guidelines, they can approve
whatever they want. There’s no use in trying to find gotchas.

------
floatingatoll
What are you considering building?

