Mac App Store app with elevated privileges

Question

I have a question regarding the Mac App Store. I am planning to release a software with admin privileges to achieve its core functionality, but according to Apple -

2.27 - Apps that request escalation to root privileges or use setuid attributes will be rejected.

I must seek other ways to achieve this. I am thinking of distributing the app without the need to use root privileges, and offering users an option to download my helper app which will be distributed for free on my website. Some interprocess communication sorcery between my app and the helper seems to fit the bill. But to make things even better -

2.16: Apps that download or install additional code or resources to add functionality or change their primary purpose will be rejected

You see, I would only need to offer a link to my website which in turn suggests users to download the helper. So my question is, is my approach to this going to elude Apple's dreadful rejection?

Galbraith

Answer 1

You should have a look at Awaken, an OS X app distributed with the App Store and that also offer the possibility to download a helper (which requires the user to authorize the elevation of privileges).

That's apparently the same situation as yours, and it was accepted on the App Store.

Coolant

The thing is Awaken does not need the helper to be a complete app. But my app would need the helper to achieve the core functionality, without it it would be much less useful. I couldn't simply say it achieves some additional functionality on the Mac App Store product page, since it is pretty much irrelevant to the app's built-in features, and doing so would probably get rejected, as Apple did once to my app. – Galbraith

If your app isn't very useful without the downloaded helper then I'd say it's almost certain to be rejected. – Spathose