In a recent LinkedIn post, Kobi Omenaka discusses the significant hurdles of app store approval processes, even when the development phase is dramatically accelerated by AI tools. Omenaka shares his experience building an Oscar prediction app for friends and family, highlighting how AI significantly streamlined the coding and development, but not the subsequent deployment.
Omenaka writes:
“Six weeks ago I built an app for friends and family to compete over Oscar predictions. 189 people signed up. 807 predictions. Top score: 20 out of 24. Nobody aced it.
The build was the easy part.
I used Claude code to help write the code. What would’ve taken weeks took days. Database, logins, scoring, league codes, countdown timer, mobile-friendly design. All done.”
He explains that while the core functionality and design were completed rapidly with the assistance of AI, the subsequent process of getting the app onto the Apple App Store and Google Play Store proved to be a major bottleneck.
The ‘Gatekeeper’ Challenge
Omenaka contrasts the ease of AI-assisted development with the arduous nature of app store submissions. He describes the process as akin to “filling out paperwork for a bank loan,” detailing requirements such as specific screenshot sizes, multiple language translations, privacy policies, entity verification, and developer fees. The waiting periods inherent in these approval pipelines were a significant factor.
“Getting the app onto the App Store felt like filling out paperwork for a bank loan,” Omenaka states, illustrating the bureaucratic complexity involved.
The situation was compounded by the Android submission process, which Omenaka found to be even more complex due to varying device rules and a lack of a single, clear checklist.
AI Accelerates Build, Not Approval
The core thesis of Omenaka’s post is the distinction between development time and deployment time. While AI tools can drastically reduce the time required to build an application, they cannot expedite the review and approval stages managed by platform gatekeepers.
“So on Oscar night, 189 people used it on the web because I couldn’t get through two app store approval processes in time. The build was done weeks before the event. The gatekeepers weren’t.”
This delay meant that his 189 users had to access the app via the web, as neither the iOS nor Android app was approved by the Oscar night deadline. Omenaka emphasizes this gap:
“AI can collapse the time it takes to build something. It can’t collapse the time it takes for someone else to approve it. That gap is real. And if you’re building something with a deadline, you need to know it exists before you run into it.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the challenges, Omenaka remains undeterred and is preparing for the BAFTA TV Awards, planning to add TV categories to his app. He expresses a pragmatic outlook on the upcoming submission process, noting, “Same app, new fight.” His experience serves as a valuable cautionary tale for other developers and entrepreneurs who might underestimate the time and resources required for app store approvals, especially when working against strict deadlines.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Kobi Omenaka on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 25, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →