Mike's Blog

My first app failed testing some time this week. It is a client app for the 9GAG web site. If you are familiar with 9GAG, then you know it is full of adult jokes. Unfortunately, you can’t target a few countries for distribution of your app if it contains these kinds of jokes. And I set my app to be distributed worldwide. I have read the requirements before I submitted but I tried it anyway. Talk about being stubborn.

I also want to share some details of the test results. I got it in PDF format, which was forwarded to me by YallaApps, a global publisher (I am from the Philippines, and it is not yet listed in the App Hub). My submission was received on February 17, 2012, and the testing was completed on February 22, 2012. So, it was completed in 4 working days. The app was tested on 4 different devices: HTC HD7, LG Quantum, Nokia Lumia 710, and Nokia Lumia 800.

The test results also contain the violation/s (I’m not sure if they lists all the violations). My app only got one:

“Content that is offensive in any country/region to which your application is targeted not allowed. Content may be considered offensive in certain countries/regions because of local laws or cultural norms. Examples of potentially offensive content in certain countries/regions include, but are not limited to the following:

• People in revealing clothing or in sexually suggestive poses
• Religious references
• Alcohol references
• Sexual or bathroom humor
• Simulated or actual gambling

Countries/regions for which one or more parts of 3.10 may apply include the following:

• Group 1: China
• Group 2: Malaysia, Indonesia”

In the comments section, the testers added the steps to reproduce.

1. Launch application
2. Navigate between articles using “<-” icon (newer)/”->” (older)
3. Observe that the application contains adult jokes and includes countries listed in Group 2 within Application Certification Requirement 3.10 in its targeted distribution.

That’s it. I resubmitted my app and selected the appropriate countries in the target distribution. Unfortunately, YallaApps has some countries missing, including the Philippines (which was newly added to the marketplace). I still have yet to contact them regarding this matter.