Reject for using canOpenURL

[Ekaterina Korovkina]

Hello, 

today my app was rejected by apple because of "we found that this app checks for all apps installed on this device by scanning all known URL schemes using a service called iHasApp"

The only place that uses "canOpenURL:" method, that I've found is GoogleAdMob. 

I used 7.5.2 version, now updated to 7.6.0, but stacktrace still says, that canOpenURL is calling often. 

How can I disable this callings or handle it in any other way in order to not be rejected again ? 

[Veer Arjun Busani]

Hi Ekaterina,

I understand that this can be frustrating. I would like to point out that none of the our other publishers, who are using AdMob service, has faced any issue like this. I would recommend you to see if you are using any other third party frameworks, such as the mentioned "iHasApp", that also might be using using this. 

You can also have a look at this article, which explains how you can implement canOpenURL properly. For example, if you are launching an app or Safari using our SDK, do make sure to use LSApplicationQueriesSchemes.

Do let us know if your app was approved once you have made those changes. 

Thanks,

Veer Arjun Busani

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[Anton Batishchev]

Hello, thanks for your reply.

Minor clarification: We use AdMob with MoPub mediation (but under the hood it works with GAD views and requests).

We've checked calls of canOpenURL here are results:

1) It's processing while GAD loadRequest method calls and initialization of a GADApplication;

2) We saw several schemas tested by GAD:

itms-books://

kindle://home

tel://

sms://

3) None of our code or third party frameworks (except GAD) uses canOpenURL (checked by symbolic breakpoint).

4) canOpenURL invoked only on iOS8

Can you explain how GAD uses this information? (possibly appstore rejection is just a mistake or miscommunication)

Thanks in advance.

[Veer Arjun Busani]

Hi Ekaterina,

While the SDK does use canOpenURL method, I would not be able to comment on the inner workings of the SDK and how it's actually implemented. 

[Anton Batishchev]

For us will be quite enough to be sure that AdMob SDK (v7.5.2 and higher) complies Apple requirements (while working on iOS8 and iOS9) and does not use canOpenURL to collect list of installed apps. We will use this argument to appeal app rejection.

Thanks in advance.