Question

According to 5.2.4.1 Requirements the Expected Result for Pressing the Back button must return the application to the previous page or return to any previous page within the back stack.
If I clear the backstack and navigate to a new page on Device Back button is this a valid for market place?

Also,
If I navigate to another page and OnNavigateTo that page I clear the backstack is this also a valid for market place submission?

Thanks and Regards,
Kanaya

Answer 1

If you’re clearing the back stack at some point, then navigating to a new page when the user clicks the hardware back button, then your app will fail marketplace validation. I’ve had it actually happen to me, and it was a bit of a headache to go back and make the app navigate “as is” without interfering with the back stack.

When you alter the normal behavior of a phone app like that, Microsoft frowns upon it. The concept they are trying to hit is a common experience across all apps, including the operating system.

It has also been my experience (doing user testing before launch of app to the marketplace) that altering the behavior of the back button as you’ve described is frustrating to the user because it breaks their expectations of how the app ought to operate. The user gets accustomed to the back button doing something very specific, regardless of the app they have open. You might want to reconsider the reasons you have for architecting the app the way you have, and strongly consider if there is an alternative that users will find more pleasant and natural.

But yes, I can tell you from experience that Microsoft will fail you for that.