# Review-environment reality: reviewer first launch on a clean account network and latest macOS > Source-anchored research for Review-environment reality: reviewer first launch on a clean account network and latest macOS. Run status: COMPLETED. Parent: [App Review Privacy, AI Consent and Rejection Playbook](https://llms-explorer.com/tree/apple-app-review-privacy-ai-and-rejection-playbook/) · 3 facets · 8 facts · page: https://llms-explorer.com/tree/review-environment-reality-reviewer-first-launch-on-a-clean-account-network-and-latest-macos/ ## Problems, failure modes and limitations - A 2.1 failure that works on TestFlight but fails in review is commonly attributed (community answer, Mar 2026) to hardcoded IPv4 literals or raw BSD sockets on the IPv6-only review network; use hostnames and URLSession/Network framework, and reproduce with an Internet Sharing NAT64 network. (medium confidence) (verified as of 2026-03-01) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/818386) - Guideline 2.3.1 prohibits hidden, dormant or undocumented features and requires new functionality to be described specifically in Notes for Review; generic descriptions are rejected. An optional user-keyed AI feature or Slack/SMTP alerting that a reviewer cannot trigger must be documented there. (medium confidence) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/) - If a demo account cannot be supplied for legal or security reasons, 2.1 allows a built-in demo mode that shows full functionality, with prior Apple approval. For optional features needing user-supplied credentials, the safe pattern is that the core app works with none and the optional feature has a clearly labelled, documented off state. (medium confidence) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/) - Apple does not publish App Review source IP ranges; blog reports of Cupertino or Sacramento ranges are unconfirmed and change, so allowlisting or geo/IP gating a backend is an antipattern for review. (low confidence) (verified as of 2026-05-01) — [source](https://ptkd.com/journal/does-apple-review-check-your-server-side-code) ## Comparisons and alternatives - Guideline 2.5.5 requires apps to be fully functional on IPv6-only networks, and Apple DTS states App Review tests on an IPv6-only network with DNS64/NAT64 (ARNAT64), which now behaves much like MacNAT64 (Internet Sharing based) rather than a carrier network. (high confidence) (verified as of 2026-10-02) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/) ## Facts and statements - Guideline 2.1 tells developers to submit final builds, include demo account info if the app has a login, and turn on the back-end service so it is live and accessible during review; non-obvious features must be explained in Review Notes. (high confidence) (verified as of 2026-10-02) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/) - Apple staff caution that a rejection message citing IPv6 may have nothing to do with the network; crashes during review are bugs regardless of network state. Treat the network as one hypothesis, not the diagnosis. (high confidence) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/49979) - Apple's published guidelines state no macOS version used by reviewers; macOS 27 shipped on 2026-09-14 per press reports, so the safest assumption is that the build must launch cleanly on the current release and the minimum deployment target. (low confidence) (verified as of 2026-10-02) — [source](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/)