I’ve seen this issue mentioned in other posts, but I feel like mine is different. A year ago, I released an app using Xamarin Forms that used ZERO entitlements. I had no issues getting the archive created and uploaded via Transporter.

This year, with Xamarin Forms’ sunsetted support, I’ve migrated that same app to .NET MAUI. It took a lot of effort to finally get a workable IPA file uploaded via Transporter, only Apple shot this message back:

We noticed one or more issues with a recent delivery for the following app:

[my app's name]
Version 1.0.5
Build 10

Please correct the following issues and upload a new binary to App Store Connect.

ITMS-90683: Missing purpose string in Info.plist - Your app’s code references one or more APIs that access sensitive user data, or the app has one or more entitlements that permit such access. The Info.plist file for the “TapScore.app” bundle should contain a NSCalendarsUsageDescription 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. For details, visit: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/protecting_the_user_s_privacy/requesting_access_to_protected_resources.

And the paragraph above is repeated 4 additional times for required purpose strings, and 3 additional times for optional purpose strings.

So, I added a series of such purpose strings to the Entitlements.plist file, like this:

<?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>NSCalendarsUsageDescription</key>
        <string>This app does not use calendar permissions. It only records scores you enter, and when you start or stop the timer.</string>
        <key>NSContactsUsageDescription</key>
        <string>This app does not use contact permissions. It only records scores you enter, and when you start or stop the timer.</string>
        <key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key>
        <string>This app does not use microphone permissions. It only records scores you enter, and when you start or stop the timer.</string>
        <key>NSAppleMusicUsageDescription</key>
        <string>This app does not use Apple Music permissions. It only records scores you enter, and when you start or stop the timer.</string>
...

With each new compilation, I got ONE message complaining about a particular purpose message in this format:

Asset validation failed (90045)
Invalid Code Signing Entitlements. Your application bundle's signature contains code signing entitlements that are not supported on iOS. Specifically, key '[some key beginning with "NS"]' in 'Payload/AppName.app/AppName' is not supported.

So I’d remove the offending key and re-compile and re-archive, only to have Transporter flag the NEXT message. It never did all the offending messages all at once. Tremendous waste of my time.

Eventually, I got to the point where I removed all the purpose strings, as I had before. Only then did Transporter receive the IPA. But I’ll probably get another message from Apple with the same complaint as before, so I wanted to see if anyone else has had my experience.

Again – the app I’m attempting to submit is not complicated – it has nothing. No network access, no internet, no database, no requirements for Siri or Apple Music – it is about as vanilla an app as you can get. And it’s been in the App Store before (Apple de-listed it, saying it hadn’t changed enough over time).

Should I keep trying or just throw up my hands?