Upcoming Changes for Apple Developers
When you sign up to be an Apple Developer one of the things that you do is agree to abide by App Store Review Guidelines. These guidelines change from time to time depending on technology, the needs of developers, and the limitations that Apple wants/needs to apply.
Last June the guidelines were modified and two additions were made. These are regarding "HTML5 Apps" and "Updates in the Kids Category". There are some changes for both that will go into effect on March 3rd, 2020. Let us look at each of the changes.
HTML 5 Apps
Before there were native apps on iOS there were HTML5 apps, which was referred to as a "Sweet Solution". While this worked, it was not nearly as elegant as using a native application. A majority of applications in use today are built entirely with their native SDKs and do not require any external code. There are some apps that may require some code that is downloaded from another server. This is possible with Apple's platforms. However, there are some limitations regarding the code that can be downloaded.
Specifically, HTML5 apps cannot contain or run code that provides access to real money gaming, lotteries, or charitable donations.
Apps For Kids
The next area to discuss is Apps for Kids. Any app that is within the "Kids" category, which means that it is intended to be used by kids. Due to the nature of these apps, there are some restrictions that developers need to comply with.
"Apps published on the App Store must protect children’s data and provide only age-appropriate content. Apps must also require a parental gate in order to link out of the app, request permissions, or present purchasing opportunities. It’s critical that apps do not transmit personally identifiable information or device information to third parties, and that advertisements are human-reviewed for age appropriateness in order to be displayed."
Besides being conscious of children's data, in some places this is necessary to comply with local laws.
Closing Thoughts
Developers have to keep up with the changes not only in tools and techniques, but also the changing landscape of building apps for Apple's platforms. One of those areas is complying with the App Store Review Guidelines. What may have been accepted previously, may no longer be accepted. If you are going to be uploading a new version of your application anytime after March 3rd, 2020, you will want to comply with the new rules; especially the one regarding privacy of kids' data. It would not be surprising if Apple begins outright rejecting apps that do not comply with protecting the data of kids starting on March 3rd.