Something wrong with my iOS app's location service declaration

Question

A few days ago when I uploaded a new version of my app to the App Store using Xcode, I received the following e-mail from iTunes Connect:

Subject: iTunes Connect: Your app AppName has one or more issues

Dear developer,

We have discovered one or more issues with your recent delivery for "AppName".

The following are for your information only and do not require any action:

We have detected that this build requires the use of standard location services when running in the background. Apps requiring location services will now display the following text disclaimer on the App Store. 'This app may use your location even when it isn’t open, which can decrease device battery life'.

Regards,

The App Store team

And the build that I uploaded cannot be selected for review submission on the iTunes Connect website.

How should I deal with this problem? Thanks.

Answer 1

This is not a big problem actually. Apple reviewer already said you "do not require any action" he / she only suggest you it is more appropriate show a warning text (it is appear when you request to use location service within UIAlertView) like this message 'This app may use your location even when it isn’t open, which can decrease device battery life'.

You can add descriptive string in .plist file.

Answer 2

Probably you forgot to add NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription or NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription in plist or you didn't add background mode in capabilities of the project.

Answer 3

• Apple guidelines * If your app requires location usage even in the background mode, In bottom of the app description and iTunesConnect application page you have to put this text

"This app may use your location even when it isn’t open, which can decrease device battery life"

It is important to put this disclaimer so that if user downloads your application he should be aware that location services will be active for the app even when the application is not in the use.

You don't have to put another build, just update the description with this disclaimer and submit for review again. It will get re-reviewed and, if all terms and conditions are valid, it will be approved.

Since Apple services for new application upload is not active from 23rd Dec to 27th Dec due to yearly Christmas holiday, so you should try to submit for review after it.

Let me know if you have any issues.

Answer 4

I run into this issue long time ago, this is because, if your app is still use location service in the background, it maybe consume the battery.

1) If you want to always use the location service, you should set this, can let you pass the itunes verify:

you should in your Info.plist add NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription permission, and set the value, why you want to always use the location service.

2) If you just need when user using app this duration to use location service. You should NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription instead of NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription permission, and you should also set the description why you want to use the permission.

Answer 5

The problem is with your string message you are displaying. i was also once stucked in this kind of issue i was using app name like "Burn you phone". So by changing the message string on location authorization will do the trick.

Answer 6

I had the same problem and contacted iTunes Connect about it. Below are excerpts from their responses so far:

I do understand your concerns about continuing to receive notices with every update or build. I can confirm this is working as expected.

...

There are some emails that are system-generated by iTunes Connect and there is not a way to disable them at this time. If you provide us feedback we will be more than glad to provide it to the appropriate team for future improvements.

...

You can definitely try adding the app description and see if this will resolve the email notifications.

However, we can not assure you that this will cancel the email notifications.

Just wanted to demonstrate their stellar customer support and exemplary knowledge of their own product...

However, I haven't yet confirmed whether putting the text in the description field will silence the email.

The other responses here mention the privacy usage descriptions in Info.plist, but this email is not directly related to this issue. Anyways, if you neglect to include those, your app will just crash when you try to access location services (unless permission had already been given in a pre-iOS 10 version of your app).

Answer 7

While going through the same issue, I found that

Capabilities -> Background Modes -> Location updates

were enabled for my app.

Please deselect this, if your app does not require location updates in background.