Apple Backtracks After Popular Mac App 'Amphetamine' Threatened With Removal Over Branding

[jimbobb24]

2021... when an app name is all of a sudden violating guidelines.
And the lyrics feature blocks certain words that are racially offensive while leaving all sorts of offensive words that are sexually offensive.

The lyrics don’t show racist words sung by black rappers? If true that is the funniest thing I have heard today.

 

[0924487]

I’d call it stimulant.

 

[zephonic]

Furthermore, Gustafson said that he has had countless interactions with Apple and its App Review Team regarding Amphetamine, but the issue was never raised before, so it is unclear what triggered the issue.

To me, it's clear as day. AI and ML is what triggered the issue.

 

[A MacBook lover]

The Apple representative reportedly said "Your app appears to promote inappropriate use of controlled substances. Specifically, your app name and icon include references to controlled substances, pills."

Gustafson argued that Amphetamine does not promote the use of illegal drugs because amphetamine is a legal, prescription medication in the United States.

Apple said “controlled substances”, which is what Amphetamines are. He added the wording of “illegal substances” - completely ignoring apples wording including “controlled substances”.

 

[C DM]

? This makes no sense to anyone that has used a computer...

There is this whole large portion of typical consumers who use computers and all kinds of other devices.

 

[manu chao]

This is a great app and I use it all the time. But I actually agree that the name and icon are problematic. I almost decided to not install it or use it, because it sounds sketchy. I can only imagine how many people have actually decided to not download or use it just because of its sketchy name and icon.

Nobody but the developer will be harmed by this effect.

 

[yticolev]

It is. If I am not mistaken, Caffeine was released first. I used it years ago. Shortly after its release, Amphetamine showed up as a rival app.

While I don't know the timeline of releases, Jiggler predates the App Store. Same functions, but I don't use the timer, just enabled when I don't want MacBook to sleep. It doesn't break easily. My current version is from 2016.

 

[kkk123kkk123kkk]

Although I use the app almost daily. I do find the counter-argument made by the developer preposterous. A drug that has some use in medicine doesn’t automatically make it not a controlled substance that can and has been seriously abused. You can also find Ketamine, Cocaine and Morphine in some anesthesia setting inside hospital.

And using his own words "objectively speaking," Amphetamine does promote the use of amphetamine “to keep humans awake and attentive.” Which wasn’t always done legally or with the best judgement of the user.

 

[Deliro]

Apples horse is getting a bit high nowadays.

 

[thekev]

Apple removed my app from the App Store for a similar dumb reason. It was a clock that used World Time Format and was called WTFClock, and their explanation was “WTF” violated guidelines. After 7 years of me diligently keeping it up to date in the App Store at 100 bucks a year. Maybe I’ll rename it, but WTF Apple?

That is a very clever name.

 

[Crazy Badger]

I always thought Amphetamine was an updated and rebranded version of Caffeine.

I've used them both, and they both worked well at stopping my Mac from sleeping when I didn't want it to with a single click.

Amphetamine always did a better job of keeping me awake than caffeine, although caffeine doesn't suffer from the long come-down and feeling rough for a few days afterwards. Oh, those were the days

 

[InGen]

So...downloading this app will not dispense MDMA from my Mac.....dissapointed frankly

 

[filemakercowboy]

this might be the laziest app ever.

go into the terminal and type "caffeinate -t 60"

there. your mac will definitely stay awake for 60 seconds. need an hour? -t 3600

need forever? no arguments.

it's not that hard. been using this for years and years.

Amphetamine has settings for automatically starting a session when an app is launched, and closing the session when the app quits. It’s not just a replacement for the terminal command.

 

[filemakercowboy]

creating a GUI for a command line tool that only does what the command line tool does is lazy. Learn to use zsh, write a script or use Applescript or publish a service that works within Apple's security constructs and create work flows with time. That would be a usefulness for a GUI.

Except that that description does not accurately describe amphetamine.

 

[Populus]

I've always used the mythical app Caffeine, since back in the days of Snow Leopard. After the Yosemite redesign, and after losing support, I tried several alternatives, looking for the simplest one. I tried Amphetamine and some others... but I finally settled down with KeepingYouAwake. Open Source, frequently updated (it is already a Universal app, ready for Apple Silicon), simple and power efficient. My number one choice. You can try Lungo as well, although that's a paid app, it looks like a good alternative.

By the way, amphetamine is not a necessarily illegal drug. Many people with lower dopamine/noradrenaline levels, who suffer from ADHD, benefit from them as well, it helps them to operate more like neurotypical people. I don't see the problem in naming an organic compound, honestly. I can see the controversy, not the problem. But we all know Apple doesn't like controversy.

 

[317342]

To me, it's clear as day. AI and ML is what triggered the issue.

AI and ML? --Sorry, not hip...what do you mean?

 

[kmj2318]

Nobody said anything about deleting a root partition. There are plenty of reasons users might prefer to use a simple, modestly priced app that puts a nice UI on something you can do in the command line for free.

True. The “just use the terminal” is a preposterous argument. I remember how intimidating the terminal was for me before learning it. Removing that feeling is valuable. I would never tell my dad to do something in the terminal. Nerds often don’t understand how products provide value imo.

 

[Metatron]

Such a PC move by Apple. Not that I am surprised, it fits perfectly within the cancel culture trend. Let the guy make his app, the end users will decide.

 

[blonrunymiolrky]

It is. If I am not mistaken, Caffeine was released first. I used it years ago. Shortly after its release, Amphetamine showed up as a rival app.

and here Amphetamine is drinking Caffeine's milkshake.

 

[blonrunymiolrky]

I don't think Caffeine has been updated in nearly 10 years hasn't it?

august of 2020, but apps like that don't need updating often

 

[7149041]

this might be the laziest app ever.

go into the terminal and type "caffeinate -t 60"

You can do everything from terminal, the question is why bother?

I'm personally using Lungo, since it's in my corporate Setapp sub.

 

[Abazigal]

This has me thinking.

All these years of browsing Reddit and android websites, I can’t say I recall reading any posts or articles of android app developers complaining that their apps are being unfairly targeted or removed.

Yet with Apple, this seems to be an increasingly common occurrence.

Is google somehow more fair with app vetting, or they just don’t care? The only conclusion I can come up with is that because Apple is doing more in this regard, it’s only natural that Apple ends up making more mistakes as well. And Apple being Apple, each incidence gets its slotted 15 minutes of attention in the news cycle.

But all’s well that ends well, at least.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Next week:
We announce Cannabis - keep your mac relaxed and all processes down!

So, I guess Cannabis would be fine. It`s also used for medical purpuse and the app function is related to the medical usage. The name does not promote drug usage.

Oh, an next we have Cocaine - force quit your unresponsive mac!

Cocaine only stops all apps if you don't have the Cardiologist app installed and running at the same time.

Oh, wait a minute, this is a different app... Sorry...

 

[Brookzy]

Interested to hear why you didn't think that Apple was being ridiculous.

As below:

Expanding on this, now that I see others appear to agree with Apple's initial stance, I think the prominent Apple vs. developer examples have been based around an impression that Apple is exercising its power in an effort to secure a competitive advantage, be that through their commissions or restrictions.

In this case Apple's actions would have no adverse impact on the functionality or availability of the app provided the developer complied with their request to rename it.

It does seem sensible that Apple has some sort of editorial control over the content of their store, even in the absence of competitive stores. In fact we implicitly have an expectation of Apple to editorialise - we'd be shocked if illegal or indecent content appeared in the App Store overnight.

As such I cannot see the intrinsic issue with Apple requiring a developer to change an app's name where it is not to provide a competitive advantage.

The developer's framing of the issue in terms of freedom of expression seems weak in this context. It's a closed, private platform, and one where limits on freedom of expression beyond those in law have been commonplace and expected since its inception.

 

[rjp1]

Walled gardens are bad for consumers.