Favors Update Rejected for Invalid Use of Apple Passbook Passes

February 1, 2013
Favors iOS

Apple has rejected my update to Favors. The initial reason was

“Your app uses Passbook Passes for issuing IOU coupons via email, which is not an approved usage of Passbook Passes.”

The referred me to section 23.1 in the App Review Guidelines.23.1 Says:

Passbook Passes can be used to make or receive payments, transmit offers or offer identification (such as movie tickets, airline tickets, coupons and reward offers). Other uses may result in the rejection of the App and the revocation of Passbook credentials.

So, I appealed to the App Review Board, but they upheld the initial rejection. I submitted more questions but have not received responses yet. I’m pretty confused though. Favors does send coupons via email. Are IOU coupons the problem? That’s just a suggested usage. 23.1 specifically mentions that coupons are ok. Is email the problem? Right on the first page of the “Getting Started with Passbook” it says:

“Passes can be distributed via email, the web, or directly from an app. Passes can be highly personalized with information specific to a single user or they can be generic for any user.”

So email shouldn’t be a problem. I not sure why the app is rejected. Further, they said the update wouldn’t be posted, yet the original app, which was approved, it still available on the app store. The only change in the update was a bug fix. I think Apple needs to give people more reasons to use Passbook and I think being able for one individual to give another individual a pass is a great way to do it. If anybody can give me insight on why Apple may have rejected the app, I would love to hear it.