App Store 4.1 rejection: Copycats and impersonation

You’ve built your own app, but Apple sees a copy of someone else’s. Guideline 4.1 concerns the product’s identity and experience, including copied interfaces, impersonation, and unauthorized branding. We’d compare the app with the specific product Apple mentions before assuming a name change will settle it.

4.1(a): an original product

Inspect the screens, feature flow, artwork, and name together. Small changes to a copied interface don’t establish an original experience. Replace copied material and explain the useful product choices that make your app distinct.

4.1(b): impersonation

Remove claims or presentation that make the app appear to be another service or its official app. Apple treats impersonation as a developer-conduct issue, so check the listing and account identity as well as the binary.

4.1(c): another developer’s branding

Using another developer’s icon, brand, or product name in your app’s icon or name requires their approval. Provide actual authorization if you have it; otherwise replace the branding.

Verify the revised identity

Review the installed app, store assets, support site, and localizations side by side. Explain what changed and supply relevant authorization. For duplicated versions of your own app, also read 4.3.