There has been reports of Apple starting to ban certain apps from the App Store without warning due to what they company have called efforts to facilitate or promote gambling.
Several apps have already been banned over this and many the developers have complained that their apps are being removed unfairly after having no relation to gambling whatsoever.
They include Niall Watchorn’s Xbox game sharing app which was removed in the purge, as was Polish magazine app iMagazine.Pl. There have been countless other apps affected by this and some developers are speculating that Apple may have removed the apps in error after quickly reinstating them after being challenged.
Eh @apple @AppleSupport care to explain why my app, which has NOTHING to do with gambling or “simulated” gambling has been removed from the App Store. It’s an app for viewing, editing and sharing Xbox clips and screenshots w/friends. I want an explanation and it reinstated ASAP. pic.twitter.com/Au2bWTunwi
— Niall Watchorn (@NiallWatchorn) August 8, 2018
Our newsstand/news/magazine app just got removed from sale from the App Store 24 hours after our 3.0 update was approved. Reason given: gambling/fraudulent activity. We publish a magazine – nothing to do with gambling or fraud at all. 😞😢😲😱 https://t.co/ewu3mE5FG5 pic.twitter.com/vaKtLthvkW
— Wojtek Pietrusiewicz (@morid1n) August 9, 2018
Today, @Apple has been so kind as to remove Sliders from the iOS App Store… for being a gambling app.
How can you mistake a photography app for a gambling app?
— Sliders for Flickr (@sliders4flickr) August 8, 2018
Today Apple removed my 3 years old app for browsing and sending GIFs from the App Store. The reason? They no longer allow gambling apps submitted by individual developers 🤷â€â™‚ï¸
Gambling? You could browse and send GIFs. You know, those files pronounced with a hard G. pic.twitter.com/rzrH5eWmyp
— Simon B. Støvring (@simonbs) August 9, 2018
My app was flagged down for breaking a new anti gambling policy apple has, despite not having any gambling in it. Hopefully this is just a automated compliance campaign by apple.
— Peter Respondek (@peter_respondek) August 9, 2018
Apple has not released any official statement regarding this so far, but judging by the rate of complaints coming in on social media about unfair bans, it is definitely worth taking your cause up directly with Apple if your App has been caught up in this.
Should Apple answer for the removals of apps which have caused hassle and grief to the developers, not to mention their respective audiences? Let us know your thoughts on this.
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