Hi everyone,
We’re the developers of Plio, a casual mini-game collection. We first submitted our app on October 8, and as of November 5, the overall review process has been ongoing for four weeks. Our current submission is “Waiting for Review.”
Here is the timeline:
October 8: Submitted our first build.
October 11: Contacted Apple because the submission remained in “Waiting for Review.”
October 15: After the continued wait, we submitted a newer build, having canceled the original pending submission.
October 21: Received a response to our October 11 inquiry. This was ten days after contacting Apple and six days after submitting the newer build.
October 27: Contacted Apple again while the replacement submission was still “Waiting for Review.”
October 30: After approximately 15 days in “Waiting for Review,” the replacement submission was reviewed and rejected.
Following that rejection, we resubmitted. As of November 5, we are again “Waiting for Review.”
I understand that canceling a submission and submitting a newer build puts it back into the review queue. However, in my experience releasing apps, including at my previous company, I have never encountered waiting periods this long. That was why I initially wondered whether our submission had become stuck due to a system issue.
Meanwhile, development has continued, and the build awaiting review is falling further behind our latest version. Maintaining backend compatibility with that older iOS build while continuing to develop the app is becoming increasingly difficult.
Our newer build also includes compatibility changes for iPhone Duo. We would like to deliver those improvements, but replacing the current submission means starting another review cycle, potentially followed by another lengthy wait. This leaves us choosing between continuing to wait on an older build and submitting the improvements users should receive.
We understand that review times vary. However, the repeated long waits, combined with the time it has taken to receive guidance, are making release planning and ongoing development difficult.
Could someone from Apple help us confirm whether our current submission is progressing normally and whether any additional information or action is required from us? If this needs to be handled privately, please advise on the appropriate way to follow up on our previous inquiries.
We would also appreciate hearing from developers who have experienced similar delays and managed to obtain clarification.
Thank you.
