Submitting an app and waiting time, what is the timeline for app reviewers? And other questions

IS there a maximum number of days that an app has to be reviewed before end of that period? In other words: if an app is posted, a review HAS TO HAPPEN before x days, is a rule (hopefully) or no?

Nobody outside the realm of the review team knows if there is such a system except that I doubt that there is.

Are we allowed to post many apps at once? I mean as a developer I can take time working in multiple apps, then suddenly deciding to publish them all, that is okay right? Are their limitation or expected "published flow" to have?

Yes, we are. Once I submitted two dozen software titles over several days back in 2011.

Once an app has been approved and published, will the waiting times for updates (new versions of the app) reviews smaller hopefully? or how was your experience? Is there a general rule you have seen?

Yes. The wait time for a software update for an existing app is generally a lot shorter.

Does app review depend on app reviewers availability? And holidays etc?

Yes, of course. If there are no reviewers available, then there is no one to review your app.

And yes, Apple does regularly shut down app reviews for significant holidays.

IS there a maximum number of days that an app has to be reviewed before end of that period? In other words: if an app is posted, a review HAS TO HAPPEN before x days, is a rule (hopefully) or no?

Nobody outside of Apple knows Apple's internal app review procedures. However, we can make logical inferences.

Let's suppose there is a rule that a review HAS TO HAPPEN before 10 days. OK, then. Now let's suppose that doesn't happen. We can suppose that because obvious you wouldn't be asking otherwise. 😄

Does your app get automatic approval? Obviously not. Is the app reviewer who didn't make quota subject to some kind of internal discipline, and possible reassignment, or even termination? Sure. That's possible. Then your app would be reassigned to a new reviewer, who hopefully gets the review done within 10 days. But there is no guarantee of that. Apple could burn through slow reviewers forever and your app would never get reviewed. Therefore, if there is such a rule, it applies only to the performance evaluations of the app review team and is irrelevant to when, or if, your app ever gets reviewed.

Once an an app has been reviewed once, and you send a new build (that addresses the fixes) for example you add the "sign in with Apple" if you forgot to add it next to "sign in with another method", does the second round of review have to be done by the SAME REVIEWER first time or can it be done by a second reviewer?

Again, let's use logic. Suppose there is a rule that the SAME REVIEWER must review all subsequent submissions. Furthermore, let's suppose this reviewer gets hit by a bus. Too bad for you, I guess. Or what about scenarios that aren't as sad. How about a wedding, or a honeymoon, or a vacation? Do you really want your app to be sitting in a reviewer's inbox while the reviewer is downing margaritas on the beach for two weeks?

Therefore, we can logically assume that there is no such rule.

I have posted and have been waiting since 5 days now (since 5 march)

Over a weekend? I should point out the existence of a concept called "business days". One of the reasons someone might want to work for Apple is so they don't have to work weekends.

Are we allowed to post many apps at once?

Sure. Why not?

I mean as a developer I can take time working in multiple apps, then suddenly deciding to publish them all, that is okay right?

Sure. Go for it!

Are their limitation or expected "published flow" to have?

Well if you were the world #1 target for scams, would you implement some kind of system to detect suspicious activity? Isn't it reasonable to expect some a rate of new app releases and/or updates that are proportional to the number of developers on a given team?

Once an app has been approved and published, will the waiting times for updates (new versions of the app) reviews smaller hopefully?

Hopefully. 😄

or how was your experience? Is there a general rule you have seen?

One developer's experience is not applicable to any other developer's experience. Maybe I develop some dictionary app for medieval French literature. My experiences may not be applicable to your innovative new social networking-crypto-dating app for kids.

If an app shows with this: https://imgur.com/31rdIAj (see screenshot) it means i have nothing else to do, only wait right? And it will be reviewed (my new build), despite no screenshot was added in the draft submission?

Btw the draft submission shows this: https://imgur.com/kvldqvb

the submit is grayed out, its because I already sent a build. So without any item , it will still be accepteds right? Thanks

I don't know anything about your app or what you've submitted.

All I can tell you is that there are some items that are required by the automated flow. The system will prevent you from submitting without them. But then there are still other items that are also required and app review will check for those and reject your app if they're missing.

I would assume that screenshots are required for submission and that the system would display an error on a submission without them. But I'm not going to try that to test. And maybe you're talking about an update given the context of your first question?

But generally speaking, once you submit, all you have to do is wait. But if you're concerned that your review might take a long time and ultimately end in rejection, then perhaps you have valid reasons for those concerns. Maybe be proactive. Reject the build yourself and resolve any lingering concerns.

When you're 100% confident that your submission will be approved, then resubmit. It's always possible that your confidence was too high and the app gets rejected anyway. But I don't see the point in starting the process when you're already worried about rejection.

@Etresoft I am 100% I resolved the issues mentioned during the last review (Adding Apple Sign in method + letting access to the app content before requiring users to login/register), so I am 99% sure the app will pass. The only problem is that :

1. when responding to the review process, I did not have a new build, so I could not do "respond (by adding screenshots) + submit again"
2. when I added my new build, it went straight as a submitted item (without me able to add explanations of what was changed, although it is implied that the issues mentioned were addressed), I just sent a new build and was locked out of the "item draft screenshot" I showed earlier (The only option on that draft submission page was "cancel the submission" of course, but I did not want to cancel submission of my new build).

And now look at this image, the app show at the same time as : "Waiting for Review" and: "In Review" Does that happen usually? It's been 8H30 since it's in "review" The first time it was in review, it was reviewed within 32 minutes!