Is there an iOS method/function to test if Settings Restrictions have been enabled?

Question

With Apple's new kids' app policy, one has to make a parental gate before Apple will accept the app. Unfortunately Apple haven't provided a mechanism one can use for such a gate, and so developers are struggling with how to solve this.

In iOS settings, Apple does allow users to set Restrictions, such as no in-app-purchases etc. You first have to enable the Restrictions setting as a whole, and then select which Restrictions you're going to put in place.

I would like to know if there is an iOS function or method for checking the state of the Restrictions i.e. enabled or disabled, and ideally whether one can also specifically check the state of individual restriction settings per app as well? I know you can for in-app-purchases (canMakePayments method)

If anyone has found the way to make an iOS parental gateway that Apple has accepted, I and many other developers would really like to hear about it.

Many thanks

Answer 1

Concerning your question about making an iOS Parental Gate, I've posted an open source Parental Gate SDK which has been used in an app that has successfully passed review under Apple's new 24.3 rule that requires a "parental gate" for in app purchases and anything that brings the user experience to the web. You can read more about the SDK and get the source code here:

MKParentalGate Open Source SDK

Answer 2

There is no standard mechanism for a parental gate, and Apple stays quiet when asked.

However, many apps in the appstore who got accepted in the kids section, most notably the Toca Boca one's, use the 'random two finger swipe' mechanism, so apparently that's an approved mechanism.

As parental gate show a pop up window with the text "swipe two fingers up/down/right/left to continue" (where the up/down/left/right is randomized)

(haven't tried this myself, but will very shortly)