Manton Reece’s Inkwell iOS app has been blocked since April 21 across six guideline categories, with a dead Apple trademark from 2002 as the sticking point.
Key Takeaways
Rejections spanned 1.2 (content reporting), 2.1 (Sign in with Apple), 3.1 (in-app purchase/reader app status), 4 (design), 5.1.1(v) (account deletion), and 5.2.5 (trademark).
To satisfy 3.1, Reece stripped posting, highlighting, sign-up, and external links, limiting to US storefront only where Epic v. Apple rules apply.
The 5.2.5 trademark objection targets Apple’s own “Inkwell” branding from Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar, a handwriting feature whose USPTO trademark is now listed as “dead”.
Android version shipped via Google Play last month without issue; rebranding would create cross-platform naming inconsistency.
An appeal to the App Review Board is pending; Reece has not decided whether to rebrand or hold the name.
Hacker News Comment Review
Consensus leans toward the trademark issue being a practical blocker regardless of USPTO status, since Apple controls distribution and can enforce internal policy beyond legal trademark validity.
Commenters note the inconsistency: multiple “Inkwell”-named writing apps already exist in the App Store, undermining Apple’s stated concern about user confusion.
