Apple is reportedly facing questions on how it is handling new category of AI-powered app development tools, as developers claim restrictions on such apps on its App Store. According to a report by The Information, companies behind ‘vibe-coding’ apps such as Replit and Vibecode claim that Apple has blocked or delayed updates to their apps. “Apple has quietly prevented AI vibe coding apps such as Replit and Vibecode, which help people create games and other applications, from releasing updates to their mobile apps on the App Store unless they make modifications, according to several people with knowledge of the situation,” the report says.Apple’s crackdown is happening at a time when vibe coding apps are emerging as a potential threat to the company by helping developers create web apps that aren’t listed on its App Store, a key source of revenue and profits for Apple, the report claims.
What Apple says
The Cupertino-based company confirmed the issue stating that it “has told some app developers that the vibe coding capabilities violate longstanding App Store rules that say an app can’t run code that changes the way it or other apps function,” per The Information report. While the company states that it does not have any rules against vibe-coding, but points to its App Store Guideline 2.5.2 which says:“Apps should be self-contained in their bundles, and may not read or write data outside the designated container area, nor may they download, install, or execute code which introduces or changes features or functionality of the app, including other apps. Educational apps designed to teach, develop, or allow students to test executable code may, in limited circumstances, download code provided that such code is not used for other purposes. Such apps must make the source code provided by the app completely viewable and editable by the user.”The company also points to section 3.3.1(B) of the Developer Program License, which says: “Interpreted code may be downloaded to an Application but only so long as such code: (a) does not change the primary purpose of the Application by providing features or functionality that are inconsistent with the intended and advertised purpose of the Application.”
