Introduction

Developers using Xcode, Apple's integrated development environment for macOS, occasionally encounter puzzling errors. One such issue is the "newsstand-error" that appears when attempting to submit an app to the App Store. This article delves into this error, explaining its causes, technical details, and potential solutions.

Understanding the Newsstand-Error

The newsstand-error typically occurs during the app submission process in Xcode. This error is linked with outdated functionality related to Apple's Newsstand, which was deprecated several years ago.

Background on Newsstand

Newsstand was a feature introduced by Apple in iOS 5, designed to manage digital magazines and newspapers. Despite its initial popularity, Newsstand was eventually phased out and replaced by Apple's News app in iOS 9. Despite this, legacy issues from Newsstand sometimes resurface, particularly in the form of submission errors.

Technical Breakdown

Common Causes

1. Outdated Targets:
   • Apps with Targets set to use deprecated Newsstand APIs can trigger this error even if the app no longer supports Newsstand functionalities.
2. Legacy Files:
   • If your project still contains legacy files or assets related to Newsstand, the App Store's automated submission processes might flag them.
3. Incorrect Provisioning Profile:
   • Sometimes, this error is due to inconsistencies or incorrect configurations in the Provisioning Profile, which are relics from older builds and deployments that used Newsstand.
4. Metadata Issues:
   • App metadata on App Store Connect might still reference outdated features. Ensuring that all metadata fields are current can help mitigate this error.

Example Error Message

While the error output can vary, a typical message might look like this:

• Open Xcode and navigate to the `Targets` section of your project.
• Check if any capabilities related to Newsstand are active. If they are, disable them.
• Scrutinize the project directory for any outdated `plist` files or assets specifically linked to Newsstand.
• Remove these files from the project and the file system.
• Visit App Store Connect and verify that all metadata for your app is up to date, ensuring no fields reference old Newsstand functionalities.
• Click on `Signing & Capabilities` in Xcode and ensure your provisioning profiles are current and correctly configured.
• Run a clean build and create a new archive for submission after making the necessary adjustments.