Apple has updated its App Store Review Guidelines to reject apps that 'do not add value' amid a surge in low-effort, AI-generated submissions. The changes tighten enforcement on categories like flashlight, dating, sound effects, and fortune-telling apps, which must now offer a 'meaningfully different or improved experience' to be approved. Apps deemed 'mediocre' or 'low-effort,' such as fart, burp, or Kama Sutra apps, are now explicitly called out for rejection.

The move follows reports of an 84% spike in new app submissions, though Apple says its review team still processes 90% of apps within 48 hours. The company is increasingly using AI tools to assist human reviewers in managing volume. This update expands on a November rule change targeting 'copycat apps' and now includes stricter language around user-generated content and misuse of Live Activities for spam.

While Apple frames this as a quality control measure, developers may face higher barriers to entry. The policy also warns that repeated submissions of low-value apps could lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program. It remains unclear how 'meaningfully different' will be interpreted in practice, especially for saturated app categories.