Unlike in previous years, result of the App Store reviews team taking a break during the holidays. Either way, submissions were not previously possible.
App submission reviews are not the only example of Apple pausing its ecosystem. For example, Apple also traditionally takes its online store down before major launches or during product keynotes. A move which can be frustrating when a consumer simply wants to buy something as basic as a power adapter, or to check the status of an existing online order. Still, this tends to be the way the company operates, whether it is with app submissions at the developer level or buying a product at the consumer level.
At least, that was the way Apple operated at the developer level, as the company has confirmed that it will continue to accept App Store Connect submissions throughout the holidays. While it will be accepting submissions during the Thanksgiving and Christmas periods, Apple says reviews may take longer than usual. Specifically, the company says to expect longer review times during November 24th and November 28th, and then again from December 23rd through to December 27th. Apple also recommends sending "time-sensitive submissions early" due to the expectation of high volume.
Good For Developers And s
In the past, Apple has simply shut down the App Store Connect portal during the holidays, preventing developers from submitting new apps or updates. This could lead to longer review times after the portal came back online with developers rushing to push new updates or apps for review. Needless to say, extended times are better than submitting a new app or an update only to wait until after the holidays for it to be processed and approved. Hopefully, the change this year is not just a one-off but an indication that Apple will continue to offer the same in the years ahead.
While developers planning holiday updates could always submit them early, negating the downtime entirely, updates aren't always scheduled and timely. Not to mention, bugs can crop up once a new update is released. In this sense, Apple's change in policy is great for developers and s alike. Developers can push more polished updates to the store, and s will benefit from more frequent updates to apps, hopefully creating a less buggy experience overall. As to be expected, this not only applies to the iOS App Store, but the Mac App Store, watchOS App Store, and tvOS App Store as well.
Source: Apple