Getting NSUserTrackingUsageDescription info plist warning after IPA submission

[armandojimenez]

🔙 Regression

I don't use any ads sdk, but now Apple is warning me about this permission below that I am not asking. When searching in my workspace, the only one that access this APIs is this package. I have configured the podfile correctly by having the app transparency tracking commented.

Old (and correct) behavior

Upload build with no warning

Current behavior

Getting this warning after submission

Dear Developer,We identified one or more issues with a recent delivery for your app, "Believe - Daily Affirmations" 4.0.0 (83). Your delivery was successful, but you may wish to correct the following issues in your next delivery:ITMS-90683: Missing Purpose String in Info.plist - Your app‘s code references one or more APIs that access sensitive user data. The app‘s Info.plist file should contain a NSUserTrackingUsageDescription key with a user-facing purpose string explaining clearly and completely why your app needs the data. If you're using external libraries or SDKs, they may reference APIs that require a purpose string. While your app might not use these APIs, a purpose string is still required.

Reproduction steps

Upload ipa to testflight

Version: 9.2.0

Platform:

• [x] :iphone: iOS
• [ ] :robot: Android

[armandojimenez]

Can anyone help with this? this is my current podfile config, and did clean and pod install

# Uncomment this line to define a global platform for your project
platform :ios, '12.0'

# CocoaPods analytics sends network stats synchronously affecting flutter build latency.
ENV['COCOAPODS_DISABLE_STATS'] = 'true'

project 'Runner', {
  'Debug' => :debug,
  'Profile' => :release,
  'Release' => :release,
}

def flutter_root
  generated_xcode_build_settings_path = File.expand_path(File.join('..', 'Flutter', 'Generated.xcconfig'), __FILE__)
  unless File.exist?(generated_xcode_build_settings_path)
    raise "#{generated_xcode_build_settings_path} must exist. If you're running pod install manually, make sure flutter pub get is executed first"
  end

  File.foreach(generated_xcode_build_settings_path) do |line|
    matches = line.match(/FLUTTER_ROOT\=(.*)/)
    return matches[1].strip if matches
  end
  raise "FLUTTER_ROOT not found in #{generated_xcode_build_settings_path}. Try deleting Generated.xcconfig, then run flutter pub get"
end

require File.expand_path(File.join('packages', 'flutter_tools', 'bin', 'podhelper'), flutter_root)

flutter_ios_podfile_setup

target 'Runner' do
  use_frameworks!
  use_modular_headers!

  flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))
  
  # pod 'DKImagePickerController/PhotoGallery', :git => 'https://github.com/miguelpruivo/DKImagePickerController.git'
end

post_install do |installer|
  installer.pods_project.targets.each do |target|
    flutter_additional_ios_build_settings(target)


    target.build_configurations.each do |config|

      
      config.build_settings['GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS'] ||= [
        '$(inherited)',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.calendar
        # 'PERMISSION_EVENTS=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.reminders
        # 'PERMISSION_REMINDERS=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.contacts
        # 'PERMISSION_CONTACTS=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.camera
        'PERMISSION_CAMERA=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.microphone
        'PERMISSION_MICROPHONE=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.speech
        # 'PERMISSION_SPEECH_RECOGNIZER=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.photos
        'PERMISSION_PHOTOS=1',

        ## dart: [PermissionGroup.location, PermissionGroup.locationAlways, PermissionGroup.locationWhenInUse]
        # 'PERMISSION_LOCATION=0',
       
        ## dart: PermissionGroup.notification
        'PERMISSION_NOTIFICATIONS=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.mediaLibrary
        'PERMISSION_MEDIA_LIBRARY=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.sensors
        # 'PERMISSION_SENSORS=0',   
        
        ## dart: PermissionGroup.bluetooth
        # 'PERMISSION_BLUETOOTH=0'

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.appTrackingTransparency
        # 'PERMISSION_APP_TRACKING_TRANSPARENCY=0'
      ]

    end
  end
end

[gjrjf]

I also faced the same problem. Failing to update app

[armandojimenez]

I also faced the same problem. Failing to update app

Did you find a solution?

[armandojimenez]

Can someone help me with this? My app was just rejected again because they said I use the app tracking transparency API, but I don’t. Please I need help with this. My pod file has this commented.

[armandojimenez]

I just forked this repo and removed all code having to do with App Tracking and it worked... So there is a problem with how this package handles the comments in the podfile. Please verify this!

[cs-hyunseo]

Still no solution for this?

[ishakdas]

@cs-hyunseo @armandojimenez @gjrjf
remove

dart: PermissionGroup.appTrackingTransparency

    # 'PERMISSION_APP_TRACKING_TRANSPARENCY=0'

[armandojimenez]

Still no solution to this? does not work with or without commenting. My app just failed a review because they say I am using the App Tracking permission

[alexobviously]

We also started getting this problem, apparently apple's static analysis found camera related code and they want NSCameraUsageDescription, but we don't use the camera at all. ios release is blocked unless we add the camera permission, which seems very suspicious.

[mvanbeusekom]

It is very difficult for us to debug this issue since it only occurs while uploading/ publishing the application to the Apple App Store.

I did create a simple test application copying the Podfile configuration mentioned in this issue and uploaded it to the App Store without any problems. The steps I took to try and reproduce the error were:

1. Create a new Flutter application: flutter create --platforms ios --empty permission_tester
2. Navigate to the root of the new application: cd permission_tester
3. Add a dependency on the permission_handler: flutter pub add permission_handler
4. Download dependencies: flutter pub get
5. Add configuration to ios/Podfile (see code snippet below)
6. Add configuration to ios/Runner/Info.plist (see code snippet below)
7. Build a release: flutter build ipa
8. Login to Apple App Store Connect and create new iOS application.
9. Upload the generated build/ios/ipa/permission_tester.ipa file to App Store using xcrun or the Transporter tool.
10. Upload was successful, received an email that the build was ready to use in TestFlight.

Podfile

# Uncomment this line to define a global platform for your project
# platform :ios, '11.0'

# CocoaPods analytics sends network stats synchronously affecting flutter build latency.
ENV['COCOAPODS_DISABLE_STATS'] = 'true'

project 'Runner', {
  'Debug' => :debug,
  'Profile' => :release,
  'Release' => :release,
}

def flutter_root
  generated_xcode_build_settings_path = File.expand_path(File.join('..', 'Flutter', 'Generated.xcconfig'), __FILE__)
  unless File.exist?(generated_xcode_build_settings_path)
    raise "#{generated_xcode_build_settings_path} must exist. If you're running pod install manually, make sure flutter pub get is executed first"
  end

  File.foreach(generated_xcode_build_settings_path) do |line|
    matches = line.match(/FLUTTER_ROOT\=(.*)/)
    return matches[1].strip if matches
  end
  raise "FLUTTER_ROOT not found in #{generated_xcode_build_settings_path}. Try deleting Generated.xcconfig, then run flutter pub get"
end

require File.expand_path(File.join('packages', 'flutter_tools', 'bin', 'podhelper'), flutter_root)

flutter_ios_podfile_setup

target 'Runner' do
  use_frameworks!
  use_modular_headers!

  flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))
  target 'RunnerTests' do
    inherit! :search_paths
  end
end

post_install do |installer|
  installer.pods_project.targets.each do |target|
    flutter_additional_ios_build_settings(target)

    target.build_configurations.each do |config|    
      config.build_settings['GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS'] ||= [
        '$(inherited)',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.calendar
        # 'PERMISSION_EVENTS=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.reminders
        # 'PERMISSION_REMINDERS=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.contacts
        # 'PERMISSION_CONTACTS=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.camera
        'PERMISSION_CAMERA=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.microphone
        'PERMISSION_MICROPHONE=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.speech
        # 'PERMISSION_SPEECH_RECOGNIZER=0',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.photos
        'PERMISSION_PHOTOS=1',

        ## dart: [PermissionGroup.location, PermissionGroup.locationAlways, PermissionGroup.locationWhenInUse]
        # 'PERMISSION_LOCATION=0',
       
        ## dart: PermissionGroup.notification
        'PERMISSION_NOTIFICATIONS=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.mediaLibrary
        'PERMISSION_MEDIA_LIBRARY=1',

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.sensors
        # 'PERMISSION_SENSORS=0',   
        
        ## dart: PermissionGroup.bluetooth
        # 'PERMISSION_BLUETOOTH=0'

        ## dart: PermissionGroup.appTrackingTransparency
        # 'PERMISSION_APP_TRACKING_TRANSPARENCY=0'
      ]

    end
  end
end

Info.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</key>
	<string>$(DEVELOPMENT_LANGUAGE)</string>
	<key>CFBundleDisplayName</key>
	<string>Permission Tester</string>
	<key>CFBundleExecutable</key>
	<string>$(EXECUTABLE_NAME)</string>
	<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
	<string>$(PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER)</string>
	<key>CFBundleInfoDictionaryVersion</key>
	<string>6.0</string>
	<key>CFBundleName</key>
	<string>permission_tester</string>
	<key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
	<string>APPL</string>
	<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
	<string>$(FLUTTER_BUILD_NAME)</string>
	<key>CFBundleSignature</key>
	<string>????</string>
	<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
	<string>$(FLUTTER_BUILD_NUMBER)</string>
	<key>LSRequiresIPhoneOS</key>
	<true/>
	<key>UILaunchStoryboardName</key>
	<string>LaunchScreen</string>
	<key>UIMainStoryboardFile</key>
	<string>Main</string>
	<key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations</key>
	<array>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight</string>
	</array>
	<key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations~ipad</key>
	<array>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown</string>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>
		<string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight</string>
	</array>
	<key>CADisableMinimumFrameDurationOnPhone</key>
	<true/>
	<key>UIApplicationSupportsIndirectInputEvents</key>
	<true/>

    <!-- Permission options for the `mediaLibrary` group -->
    <key>NSAppleMusicUsageDescription</key>
    <string>Music!</string>
    <key>kTCCServiceMediaLibrary</key>
    <string>media</string>

    <!-- Permission options for the `camera` group -->
    <key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
    <string>camera</string>

    <!-- Permission options for the `microphone` group -->
    <key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key>
    <string>microphone</string>

    <!-- Permission options for the `photos` group -->
    <key>NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription</key>
    <string>photos</string>

</dict>
</plist>

I will close this issue for now as the plugin seems to be working as expected. If this issue still remains and you'd want us to have a look, please provide a sample application we can use to reproduce the problem.