Hi everyone,
I'm a first time app developer and have been going through the App Store review process for a project I’ve been working on—AquaGUIDE, an accessibility-focused app that pairs with a custom BLE-enabled swim cap designed to help visually impaired swimmers navigate independently.
The swim cap device and app have been thoroughly tested and work well together, but I’ve run into challenges getting the app approved, and I’m hoping others might have experience or insight to share.
Key Features That May Be Tripping Up Review:
- Automatic BLE pairing with the cap when in range (connectivity not needed when user is in mid swim)
- Frequent connect/disconnect cycles in a single session (this is intentional and expected in open water)
- Auto sending a swim summary over BLE once reconnected, if one exists (won't exist if swim is not yet complete or is canceled due to emergency triggered)
The app doesn't send data externally or to the cloud, everything stays local between the phone and the cap.
So far, App Review hasn't explicitly rejected for these reasons, but the review team has been confused or inconsistent in their feedback, and I suspect these technical behaviors might be the cause. I want to stay compliant but also preserve the accessibility-first workflow of the device (automatic syncing rather than button or prompt).
What I'm Looking For:
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Has anyone had success getting accessibility-focused apps with external BLE hardware through review?
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How have you framed automatic pairing or background syncing in a way that Apple accepts?
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Are there specific guidelines or Apple documentation I can point to for support?
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Should I consider requesting a review call or filing an appeal?
Any guidance, lessons learned, or similar examples would be deeply appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
