App Store review
App Store Guideline 4.2 — why wrappers get rejected (and what fixes it).
What Guideline 4.2 actually means
Apple wants apps that feel like apps — not websites repackaged for discovery. Reviewers open your build, navigate, and ask: does this use iOS in a meaningful way? A full-screen WebView loading your SaaS URL with no offline behavior, no native navigation, and no platform integrations often fails.
Signals reviewers notice
Browser-like scrolling and text selection. Missing safe-area polish. Back gesture that doesn't match iOS. Login flows that look like desktop web. No push, biometrics, or share sheet where users expect them. Obvious URL bar behavior or desktop layouts on iPhone.
Wrapper fixes (sometimes enough)
Add real native modules: push (APNs), Sign in with Apple, biometrics, offline cache, native tab bar, deep links. Capacitor plugins or managed services (Median, Wanilla) help. You may still be maintaining hybrid debt — web UI inside native chrome.
The durable fix: native UI for core flows
Rebuild key screens in SwiftUI (and Compose on Android) while keeping your backend. Users get platform-appropriate navigation, typography, and gestures. Reviewers see a real app. Rewrite automates generation, compile verification, and integration wiring for scoped delivery — you approve screenshots before the full build.
Google Play is less vocal but similar
Play rejects egregious WebView spam too. Native Compose delivery avoids the 'TWA with no value' trap and sets you up for Material patterns users expect.
Common questions
Can I appeal a 4.2 rejection?
Sometimes, if you add substantive native features and resubmit with a clear explanation. Repeated thin wrappers rarely succeed on appeal alone.
Is Capacitor always rejected?
No — many Capacitor apps ship. Rejection risk rises when the app is indistinguishable from Safari with no native enhancements.
How does Rewrite reduce 4.2 risk?
Delivered apps use SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose for in-scope screens — real native UI, not a single WebView of your homepage.