Guideline 4.10 - Design: Monetizing Built-In Device Capabilities

Apple is rejecting your app because it charges users for functionality that is already built into the device. Guideline 4.10 prohibits monetizing standard device capabilities — if the iPhone already does something natively (flashlight, compass, level, magnifying glass, calculator, QR code scanning, screen recording, etc.), you cannot wrap that capability in an app and charge for it. This guideline exists because Apple considers it deceptive to charge users for features they already have for free on their device. It applies to both paid apps and in-app purchases. A flashlight app that costs $0.99, a QR code scanner with a subscription, or a compass app with premium features that just overlay the device's magnetometer data all violate this guideline. The rejection is straightforward and rarely subjective. If your app's primary value proposition is a capability the device already provides natively, monetization will be blocked. The fastest compliant path depends on your situation. If your app truly just wraps a built-in feature, you need to either make it free or add substantial unique functionality that goes well beyond the built-in capability. If your app adds genuine value on top of the built-in feature (advanced data logging, professional-grade measurements, integration with other systems), make that additional value the focus and ensure the basic capability itself is free.