Updates
Shipping a VPN through App Store review: constraints that shaped FollowNet
Network Extension, entitlements, and review edges — why FollowNet stays an App Store native iOS client.
Why App Store distribution matters
iOS VPN that lives in Network Extension is reviewable, updatable, and sandboxed. Sideloaded configuration profiles and shady “install this certificate” flows are a different trust model. FollowNet ships through the App Store on purpose.
What review forces you to design for
Clear purpose strings, honest Free vs Premium messaging, and privacy disclosures are not paperwork theater — they shape the product. Features that only work as dark patterns tend to fail review or fail users later.
Post-release reality
Updates still go through review. Protocol work, widgets, and Auto-connect tweaks ship in batches. That is slower than a website deploy and better for users who expect a stable system VPN on iPhone and iPad.
Chrome is a separate surface
The Chrome extension is not a workaround for App Store rules on iOS. Phone VPN remains the core; desktop browsing is the second surface with the same account honesty.