Apple is taking a tough stance on vibe coding apps as the company is blocking updates or removing those apps from the App Store. Affected apps include Replit, Vibecode, and Anything. While Replit and Vibecode’s updates were paused, Anything’s app was removed twice. The company is now looking for new ways, like offering a desktop version of its service, to let users build apps for mobile devices.
Anything’s co-founder, Dhruv Amin, said in a conversation with TechCrunch that Apple removed its app on March 26. Since then, the company has been unable to get its app approved, despite a period where there was a brief reinstatement.
“It’s been a long saga. We built a mobile app primarily to let our users who are building iOS apps preview their own app on their own device while developing it. [We] had no problems through December. Post December, we and everyone else in the category started getting our updates blocked,” Amin told TechCrunch.
Amin noted that Apple told the company that the app was restricted or removed because of its developer agreement clause 2.5.2, which prevents apps from downloading, installing, or executing code.
“The app markets itself as a mobile app builder for iPhone and advertises making native iOS apps with features like 1-tap App Store submissions, code export, and full source code editing,” Apple told the company, according to a screenshot of an email shared by Anything on X.
Amin said that when the company managed to get on a call with Apple, the iPhone maker told them that the vibe coding app was removed because of the potential it could be used to download malicious code. In addition, Apple noted that a user could build a harmful app, sideload it on their phone, and then claim that it passed Apple’s App Review process.
Anything’s app was restored on April 3, but it was swiftly removed as Apple told the company that it couldn’t market itself as an app maker.
TechCrunch reached out to Apple for a comment on these removals, and we will update the story if we hear back.
Following the battle with Apple, Anything’s maker is looking for other ways to allow people to build mobile apps. Earlier this month, the company launched a feature that let users build apps using the iMessage platform. The company said it will also build a desktop companion app that lets users vibe code mobile apps on their computer.
In addition, Amin said that the company may instead look at Google’s Android operating system for building its apps, as the platform is more open than iOS.
Besides vibe coding app makers, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has been vocal about Apple’s tactics.
In a reply to Replit’s Amjad Masad on X, Sweeny said that Apple needs to “stop blocking development tools apps ASAP.”
Earlier this month, The Information reported that thanks to AI-powered coding tools, Apple saw 84% jump in app submissions in a single quarter. This could force Apple to change its human-led review processes.
Plus, as AI-powered coding takes off, consumers might demand that platforms like Apple allow them to create apps for themselves.
