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HN, Help. Launching my app in front of 3,000 tomorrow, Apple withholding bugfix

107 points by g0atbutt 16y ago

My Plea: I submitted an app a couple weeks back which just recently got approved for a soft launch. After playing around with it on older devices we found a massive memory leak that severally effects stability and performance. We quickly submitted a 1.1 version and contacted "appreview@apple.com". They said not to worry, and that it would be ready by Sunday. Fast forward to Saturday and my 1.1 version says that it's still "Pending an Apple release". I've gotten nothing but radio silence after Apple said they would have it ready by Sunday. I show this puppy off in less then 24 hours in front of 3,000 people and I'm starting to sweat bullets. I know that I'm grasping at straws here, but I don't know what else to do. If you guys could up vote this, maybe someone who knew what to do would see it, and be able to help me out of jam. Thanks HN community! I really appreciate it! My email address is in my profile.

g0atbutt 16y ago
I would really appreciate any help/advice/contact info. If you have any thoughts at all that could help me out I'd be most appreciative. Thanks again!
davidw 16y ago
> My email address is in my profile. Which is, of course not visible to the rest of the world. You have to put it in the 'about' section.
- g0atbutt 16y ago
  I just put it there. Thanks for the comment. Obviously not my day today…
tomjen3 16y ago
Cheat - use the version that actually works on your phone for the demo, then have the people who are interested in it give your their email so you can send a message to them the moment the new version is ready. If they are willing to come to a demo of your app, chances are they are so interested they are also willing to wait a bit for it.
Tichy 16y ago
Maybe it is not such a big deal: only a fraction of your audience will have old devices, and memory leaks also are not the end of the world. Afaik one app can not bring down the whole device on iOS.
- terinjokes 16y ago
  Actually, I've done it many times. Screen flickers off, and then I'm suddenly back in the initial bootup phase.
  - ryanpetrich 16y ago
    A memory leak should not be able to do that (indeed, calling malloc repeatedly until it fails does not). You should report this
eljaco 16y ago
Don't know the full context here, but I would show it off with newer devices and let people know a fix is almost out the door for an issue with older devices. Also, put up a sign-up form on your site to collect user's emails to let them know when the fix is ready; that way you minimize the number of people you may lose due to the bug. They know you are being proactive and you have a way to get in touch with them. *NOTE: Wrote this up before seeing tomjen3's message which states pretty much the same idea.
lordmatty 16y ago
Do you know who your local WWDR (Developer Relations) representative is? My experience with Apple is that if you are polite and reasonable they will do everything they can to help you out. Try somebody like Bill Dudney (find him on Twitter) - who is a really nice guy - as an initial contact. Good luck!
- g0atbutt 16y ago
  I just contacted him. Thanks for the idea, I'll keep you posted!
redaranj 16y ago
"Pending an Apple release" means that the binary was built against a version of iOS that hasn't been released yet (probably 4.2). You could try resubmitting with a deployment target of 4.0 if you need to get it into the store right away.
- g0atbutt 16y ago
  This isn't it. It was built against 4.1 (just double checked it).
  - annon 16y ago
    4.1 was not released for iPad. 3.2.2 is the most current public iPad release. EDIT: Just saw it was raquo that said his was iPad only, sorry.
    - chc 16y ago
      Did he said it's an iPad app? I assumed it was for iPhone and iPod Touch (since there is no "older" iPad).
- sraquo 16y ago
  By "built against" do you mean mean "Base SDK" or "iOS deployment target" in Xcode? My base SDK is 4.2 but deployment target is 3.2 (it's iPad-only). Am I fail..?
  - chc 16y ago
    No, that's the normal way to do backwards compatibility.
    - sraquo 16y ago
      Indeed, I checked Apple dev forums, and it must be the deployment target the parent is talking about. I was used to "built against" meaning Base SDK and really freaked out since my app is now waiting for review and I'm really time-sensitive now, unfortunately.
thought_alarm 16y ago
"Your app has been randomly selected for additional security screening." I guess next time you'll run your app through Instruments once before you submit it? But I'm sure your users will find all sorts of bugs in the 1.0 release. That's just reality. I would wait until you get those bug reports before you do a 1.1 release.
jhrobert 16y ago
This is an embarrassing situation and I can only be compassionate. There is a lesson here: the Apple process of approval is not agile enough. Once the initial version has been approved, subsequent "minor" version should get an immediate "default approval". That's the proper way for Apple to build some trust relationship with their developers. Of course, some people could abuse that system, but that's easy to monitor (like when there is a sudden increase in sales just after a "minor update")
- inaequitas 16y ago
  What is a 'minor version upgrade' and how do you propose Apple automates that process? Surely you don't expect that stealing your address book would prompt the developer to make the app a v2 because of the extra functionality?
gte910h 16y ago
Had you said this on Friday, I could have called someone. If you talk to the developer relations people, they're really good at checking this stuff out, however they're weekday only folks.
- g0atbutt 16y ago
  Bummer. Apple said that it was going to be ready by the end of the week, and I got an email notification at the end of the day Friday saying that it was "Pending an Apple release". This is a really cruddy situation.
natch 16y ago
If your 1.0 version is in the store, what's the problem? A few members of your audience will download the 1.0, then a day or so later they'll get an update. Is there anything stopping you from showing the 1.1 version, and telling people that it's a free upgrade if they buy the 1.0 version?
natch 16y ago
This actually smells like a marketing post to me. Get some interest, then a few days from now post a followup with a link to demo video, name of app, and bam, instant interest from the HN community. I really don't see what the problem is. It only happens on older devices [edit: or at least it only came to your attention after testing on older devices]. Many of the people who actually download apps have tend to update their devices regularly [edit: and thus are less likely to immediately see a problem]. And the update is imminent. No problem here.
- g0atbutt 16y ago
  Nope. This is for a missions organization, not exactly HN's cup of tea.
  - weel 16y ago
    Missions? As in proselytizing?
  - foljs 16y ago
    Yes, and missions organizations are very serious about QA on the apps their members use on their iPhones...
  - foljs 16y ago
    Yes, and missions organizations are very serious about QA on the apps their members use on their iPhones...
aroon 16y ago
You should really post your bug number. You did file a radar, right? Bugreport.apple.com...
- panic 16y ago
  Do the app reviewers use Radar?
  - aroon 16y ago
    At some level I'm sure they are reading them, but it gives everyone involved in your communication a central place to track your issue. Always, always, always file a radar and let your DTS/WWDR rep know the bug number.
jsz0 16y ago
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Demo your updated version and just tell everyone there's a new version pending approval. I doubt anyone is going to hold that against you.
whatusername 16y ago
Dear HN, iOS devices do not have a 1 year lifespan. You need to cater for 2 - and realisticly 4. Plenty of people upgrade their phones annually. But that phone gets sold on ebay or passed to the next member in the family. // Your target audience for an app may be bleeding edge -- but for a lot of situations: "only a fraction of your audience will have old devices" is not right.
jonhendry 16y ago
"Withholding bugfix" seems a bit of an exaggeration. Your app is one of who knows how many that they're working on. Yours seems really important to you, but every developer has their own cherished baby that is more important than any other.
jbverschoor 16y ago
Hmmm. you're in the same boat as I am, I'm still waiting on an update and a lite version, so I can't really plan a campaign right now.. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1937250 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1937250 How did the showoff go?

107 points by g0atbutt 16y ago

g0atbutt 16y ago

I would really appreciate any help/advice/contact info. If you have any thoughts at all that could help me out I'd be most appreciative. Thanks again!

davidw 16y ago

> My email address is in my profile. Which is, of course not visible to the rest of the world. You have to put it in the 'about' section.

g0atbutt 16y ago
I just put it there. Thanks for the comment. Obviously not my day today…

tomjen3 16y ago

Cheat - use the version that actually works on your phone for the demo, then have the people who are interested in it give your their email so you can send a message to them the moment the new version is ready. If they are willing to come to a demo of your app, chances are they are so interested they are also willing to wait a bit for it.

Tichy 16y ago

Maybe it is not such a big deal: only a fraction of your audience will have old devices, and memory leaks also are not the end of the world. Afaik one app can not bring down the whole device on iOS.

terinjokes 16y ago
Actually, I've done it many times. Screen flickers off, and then I'm suddenly back in the initial bootup phase.
- ryanpetrich 16y ago
  A memory leak should not be able to do that (indeed, calling malloc repeatedly until it fails does not). You should report this

eljaco 16y ago

Don't know the full context here, but I would show it off with newer devices and let people know a fix is almost out the door for an issue with older devices. Also, put up a sign-up form on your site to collect user's emails to let them know when the fix is ready; that way you minimize the number of people you may lose due to the bug. They know you are being proactive and you have a way to get in touch with them. *NOTE: Wrote this up before seeing tomjen3's message which states pretty much the same idea.

lordmatty 16y ago

Do you know who your local WWDR (Developer Relations) representative is? My experience with Apple is that if you are polite and reasonable they will do everything they can to help you out. Try somebody like Bill Dudney (find him on Twitter) - who is a really nice guy - as an initial contact. Good luck!

g0atbutt 16y ago
I just contacted him. Thanks for the idea, I'll keep you posted!

redaranj 16y ago

"Pending an Apple release" means that the binary was built against a version of iOS that hasn't been released yet (probably 4.2). You could try resubmitting with a deployment target of 4.0 if you need to get it into the store right away.

g0atbutt 16y ago
This isn't it. It was built against 4.1 (just double checked it).
- annon 16y ago
  4.1 was not released for iPad. 3.2.2 is the most current public iPad release. EDIT: Just saw it was raquo that said his was iPad only, sorry.
  - chc 16y ago
    Did he said it's an iPad app? I assumed it was for iPhone and iPod Touch (since there is no "older" iPad).
sraquo 16y ago
By "built against" do you mean mean "Base SDK" or "iOS deployment target" in Xcode? My base SDK is 4.2 but deployment target is 3.2 (it's iPad-only). Am I fail..?
- chc 16y ago
  No, that's the normal way to do backwards compatibility.
  - sraquo 16y ago
    Indeed, I checked Apple dev forums, and it must be the deployment target the parent is talking about. I was used to "built against" meaning Base SDK and really freaked out since my app is now waiting for review and I'm really time-sensitive now, unfortunately.

thought_alarm 16y ago

"Your app has been randomly selected for additional security screening." I guess next time you'll run your app through Instruments once before you submit it? But I'm sure your users will find all sorts of bugs in the 1.0 release. That's just reality. I would wait until you get those bug reports before you do a 1.1 release.

jhrobert 16y ago

This is an embarrassing situation and I can only be compassionate. There is a lesson here: the Apple process of approval is not agile enough. Once the initial version has been approved, subsequent "minor" version should get an immediate "default approval". That's the proper way for Apple to build some trust relationship with their developers. Of course, some people could abuse that system, but that's easy to monitor (like when there is a sudden increase in sales just after a "minor update")

inaequitas 16y ago
What is a 'minor version upgrade' and how do you propose Apple automates that process? Surely you don't expect that stealing your address book would prompt the developer to make the app a v2 because of the extra functionality?

gte910h 16y ago

Had you said this on Friday, I could have called someone. If you talk to the developer relations people, they're really good at checking this stuff out, however they're weekday only folks.

g0atbutt 16y ago
Bummer. Apple said that it was going to be ready by the end of the week, and I got an email notification at the end of the day Friday saying that it was "Pending an Apple release". This is a really cruddy situation.

natch 16y ago

If your 1.0 version is in the store, what's the problem? A few members of your audience will download the 1.0, then a day or so later they'll get an update. Is there anything stopping you from showing the 1.1 version, and telling people that it's a free upgrade if they buy the 1.0 version?

natch 16y ago

This actually smells like a marketing post to me. Get some interest, then a few days from now post a followup with a link to demo video, name of app, and bam, instant interest from the HN community. I really don't see what the problem is. It only happens on older devices [edit: or at least it only came to your attention after testing on older devices]. Many of the people who actually download apps have tend to update their devices regularly [edit: and thus are less likely to immediately see a problem]. And the update is imminent. No problem here.

g0atbutt 16y ago
Nope. This is for a missions organization, not exactly HN's cup of tea.
- weel 16y ago
  Missions? As in proselytizing?
- foljs 16y ago
  Yes, and missions organizations are very serious about QA on the apps their members use on their iPhones...
- foljs 16y ago
  Yes, and missions organizations are very serious about QA on the apps their members use on their iPhones...

aroon 16y ago

You should really post your bug number. You did file a radar, right? Bugreport.apple.com...

panic 16y ago
Do the app reviewers use Radar?
- aroon 16y ago
  At some level I'm sure they are reading them, but it gives everyone involved in your communication a central place to track your issue. Always, always, always file a radar and let your DTS/WWDR rep know the bug number.

jsz0 16y ago

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Demo your updated version and just tell everyone there's a new version pending approval. I doubt anyone is going to hold that against you.

whatusername 16y ago

Dear HN, iOS devices do not have a 1 year lifespan. You need to cater for 2 - and realisticly 4. Plenty of people upgrade their phones annually. But that phone gets sold on ebay or passed to the next member in the family. // Your target audience for an app may be bleeding edge -- but for a lot of situations: "only a fraction of your audience will have old devices" is not right.

jonhendry 16y ago

"Withholding bugfix" seems a bit of an exaggeration. Your app is one of who knows how many that they're working on. Yours seems really important to you, but every developer has their own cherished baby that is more important than any other.

jbverschoor 16y ago

Hmmm. you're in the same boat as I am, I'm still waiting on an update and a lite version, so I can't really plan a campaign right now.. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1937250 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1937250 How did the showoff go?