How vibe-coding app Anything is rebuilding after getting booted from the App Store twice
Anything is planning to launch a desktop companion app to aid mobile app development after its App Store removal.
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 .
Guideline 2.5.2 – Gatekeeping – Vibes denied we haven't talked about this publicly for months we tried to resolve it privately with emails, calls, appeals, and four technical rewrites to comply with whatever Apple wanted here's our truth, unfiltered on March 26th, Apple… pic.twitter.com/yJfjxonC41
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.”
Apple needs to stop blocking development tools apps ASAP. This practice is abhorrent to the founding principles of Apple as expressed by Steve Wozniak, in which every Apple ][ computer booted to a programming language prompt and treated using and making software equally.
Earlier this month, The Information reported that thanks to AI-powered coding tools, Apple saw an 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.
Ivan covers global consumer tech developments at TechCrunch. He is based out of India and has previously worked at publications including Huffington Post and The Next Web.
You can contact or verify outreach from Ivan by emailing im@ivanmehta.com or via encrypted message at ivan.42 on Signal.
StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited.
An Amazon warehouse worker died on the job at Oregon facility Amanda Silberling
An Amazon warehouse worker died on the job at Oregon facility
An Amazon warehouse worker died on the job at Oregon facility
Stanford report highlights growing disconnect between AI insiders and everyone else Sarah Perez
Stanford report highlights growing disconnect between AI insiders and everyone else
Stanford report highlights growing disconnect between AI insiders and everyone else
Sam Altman responds to ‘incendiary’ New Yorker article after attack on his home Anthony Ha
Sam Altman responds to ‘incendiary’ New Yorker article after attack on his home
Sam Altman responds to ‘incendiary’ New Yorker article after attack on his home
Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw’s creator from accessing Claude Julie Bort
Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw’s creator from accessing Claude
Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw’s creator from accessing Claude
France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech Zack Whittaker
France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech
France to ditch Windows for Linux to reduce reliance on US tech
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music are getting more expensive Aisha Malik
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music are getting more expensive
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music are getting more expensive
This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit.’ Tim Fernholz
This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit.’
This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit.’
Key takeaways
- The removal of Anything's app illustrates the challenges startups face with the rigid policies of platforms like Apple.
- Apple's response can be seen as a way to protect its ecosystem, but it also limits innovation in the sector.
- Developing a desktop version may be a strategy to avoid future complications, but it brings new market acceptance challenges.
Editorial analysis
The situation with Anything highlights a growing challenge faced by tech startups in Brazil and worldwide: the rigidity of policies from major platforms like Apple. The removal of Anything's app from the App Store is not an isolated case but part of a broader trend where app developers are struggling to navigate a regulatory environment that often seems arbitrary and oppressive. For the Brazilian tech sector, this raises questions about the reliance on dominant platforms and the need for diversification of distribution channels for apps.
Moreover, Apple's response, citing concerns over security and the potential for malicious code, reflects a legitimate concern but can also be seen as a way to protect its ecosystem and limit competition. This can have significant implications for developers seeking to innovate and create solutions that challenge the status quo. The case of Anything may serve as a warning to other startups, which must be aware of platform rules and guidelines when developing their solutions.
Anything's move towards developing a desktop version of its app may be a smart strategy to avoid future complications with Apple, but it also raises questions about the viability and acceptance of such an approach in the market. Transitioning to a desktop platform may not only open new opportunities but also challenge the company to rethink its value proposition and how it positions itself in an increasingly competitive market. What will be observed next is how Anything manages to balance innovation with regulatory demands and what lessons other startups can draw from this experience.
What this coverage includes
- Clear source attribution and link to the original publication.
- Editorial framing about relevance, impact, and likely next developments.
- Review for readability, context, and duplication before publication.
Original source:
TechCrunch AIAbout this article
This article was curated and published by AIDaily as part of our editorial coverage of artificial intelligence developments. The content is based on the original source cited below, enriched with editorial context and analysis. Automated tools may assist with translation and initial structuring, but publication decisions, factual review, and contextual framing remain editorial responsibilities.
Learn more about our editorial process