Android App Rejected: Change in Google's SMS permission policy

[Octane_Tech]

I have developed an SMS/MMS transfer application and the application was live on Play Store since 2016.

Core features of app:

1. Backup and Transfer SMS/MMS messages between Android devices
2. Transfer SMS/MMS messages between Android and iOS devices

Recently, I tried to submit an app update and received following app rejection email from Google:

The declared functionality {Backup and restore for users} is determined to be unnecessary or not aligned with the core functionality of your app

I am surprised that Google mentioned above reason for my app rejection. I have following questions:

1. Anyone faced similar issue recently? If yes, how did you resolve this issue?
2. There are many apps live on the store such as SMS Backup & Restore and iSMS2droid with similar functionality as my application. How these apps are approved?
3. Is there a different use case I have to select when I am submitting my application? I selected the Backup and Restore use case as my application needs WRITE_SMS permission.

I would appreciate any suggestions and thoughts on this topic. Thank you.

 

[Unforgiven]

Oy, that sounds frustrating. Hopefully its something simple in the way you are describing something when you submit it.