Apple Quietly Blocks Updates for Popular 'Vibe Coding' Apps [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Apple has quietly blocked AI "vibe coding" apps, such as Replit and Vibecode, from releasing App Store updates unless they make changes, The Information reports.

"Vibe coding" tools allow users with little to no programming experience to build apps or websites using natural language prompts. Their accessibility has driven rapid adoption among both developers and non-technical users.

Apple told The Information that certain vibe coding features breach long-standing App Store rules prohibiting apps from executing code that alters their own functionality or that of other apps. Some of these apps also support building software for Apple devices, which may have contributed to a recent surge in new App Store submissions and, in some cases, slower approval times, according to developers.

An Apple spokesperson said the policy is not targeted specifically at vibe coding apps. However, some people familiar with the matter said Apple was close to approving updates for Replit and Vibecode after the developers agreed to modify how their apps preview generated content or remove certain capabilities altogether, such as creating apps for Apple platforms.

When platforms like Replit generate an app, they typically display it within the original app using an embedded web view. This is something Apple seems to object to. The company now expects approval if it adjusts its app to open generated apps in an external browser rather than an in-app web view.

In Vibecode's case, the review team indicated it would likely approve updates if the app removed the ability to generate software specifically for Apple devices, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Information claims that Apple's intervention risks undermining view coding apps' usability and growth. For example, since its last update in January, Replit's mobile app has fallen from first to third place in Apple's free developer tools rankings, a decline the company attributes in part to its inability to release updates, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Vibe coding apps present a potential concern for Apple because they enable users to build applications that operate outside the App Store ecosystem, while also competing with Xcode. Some developers believe Apple has an incentive to steer them toward its own tools, which could make switching to alternative platforms more difficult.


Update: Apple told MacRumors that it does not have any rules specifically against "vibe coding" apps and that the App Review Guidelines are designed to encourage innovation while preserving safety for users. The company pointed to App Review Guideline 2.5.2:

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.

Likewise, the Developer Program License says that code may be downloaded to an app, but only if it "does not change the primary purpose" of the app by "providing features or functionality that are inconsistent with the intended and advertised purpose" of the app.

When Apple discovers that an app is not complying with App Store rules, it generally explains the violation to developer and seeks to work with it to help bring the app into compliance. In the case mentioned in The Information's report, Apple says it maintained consistent contact with the developer about guideline violations.

Article Link: Apple Quietly Blocks Updates for Popular 'Vibe Coding' Apps [Updated]

 

[MacUserFella]

Forced excuse to make us use Xcode, isn’t it?

 

[CATiNTHESTORE]

Forced excuse to make us use Xcode, isn’t it?

Dude how you so fast ?) WTF

 

[anshuvorty]

IMHO, this may be a controversial opinion, but I agree with this decision. You should learn how to program and build apps and code properly, rather than allow an AI to code for you, without understanding what it is doing.

Sometimes, a little learning and understanding about how things work is needed.

 

[vertsix]

Good. This type of rot is ruining software.

 

[Yimbaz]

IMHO, this may be a controversial opinion, but I agree with this decision. You should learn how to program and build apps and code properly, rather than allow an AI to code for you, without understanding what it is doing.

Sometimes, a little learning and understanding about how things work is needed.

I agree with your views on coding, but I don't think it's Apple's responsibility to enforce that.

 

[HouseLannister]

It's Apple's app store. If you don't like it, just put your app in one of the many 3rd party... oh wait.

 

[Ursadorable]

"Vibe coding" is for those that have poor (if any) programming skills, need to be spoon fed code, and are incapable of fixing the AI slop code on their own.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

IMHO, this may be a controversial opinion, but I agree with this decision. You should learn how to program and build apps and code properly, rather than allow an AI to code for you, without understanding what it is doing.

Sometimes, a little learning and understanding about how things work is needed.

Ok but it's utterly irrelevant. No one uses these apps, they use Claude Code or Codex now which aren't in the app store and you wouldn't want them to be.

 

[Abazigal]

I guess it makes sense. Amongst other things, Apple wants to ensure the vitality and vibrancy of the iOS App Store, and the last thing they want is an app which can essentially replicate the functionality of any other app in the App Store (essentially undermining sales of those apps).

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I agree with your views on coding, but I don't think it's Apple's responsibility to enforce that.

If you were a programmer who spent thousands of hours learning to code and perfecting your skills, you wouldn't appreciate having to compete against some idiot who doesn't know anything about programing and all it does is send prompts to AI to build an app that lacks the professional look, feel and execution you worked so hard to provide on your app, but because he sells it very cheap, you become the looser.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

"Plz make ur app compliant.. "

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I don't know how to code, other than command-line Python and BASIC, and don't have any interest in it, but Vibe coding seems like it would lead to endless slop...

Much like AI, overall.

 

[Yimbaz]

If you were a programmer who spent thousands of hours learning to code and perfecting your skills, you wouldn't appreciate having to compete against some idiot who doesn't know anything about programing and all it does is send prompts to AI to build an app that lacks the professional look, feel and execution you worked so hard to provide on your app, but because he sells it very cheap, you become the looser.

I mean, yeah, that's very true, and it sounds frustrating. But again, I don't think that's Apple's call to make. Artificially hindering the tools available to your customers because they devalue more professional work is not a healthy stance for a platform long-term.

 

[AnInanimateCarbonRod]

I agree with your views on coding, but I don't think it's Apple's responsibility to enforce that.

Apple does consider itself responsible for the overall security of apps on the App Store, however. That's one of their reasons for being a gatekeeper to the platform.

I can see a world where there's a conversation inside Apple about the amount of "vibe coded" AI slop reaching the App Store, created by people who don't understand the code written by the LLM and have nowhere near enough knowledge to review it and make sure there aren't major mistakes that leads to users being compromised.

I won't weigh in on whether or not Apple's actions are the right thing to do, but plenty of other organizations and open-source projects are struggling to deal with the implications of LLMs and "vibe coding" and I can see why Apple would want to take steps to minimize risk.

 

[CarAnalogy]

IMHO, this may be a controversial opinion, but I agree with this decision. You should learn how to program and build apps and code properly, rather than allow an AI to code for you, without understanding what it is doing.

Sometimes, a little learning and understanding about how things work is needed.

Counterpoint: software has become so user hostile these days, the idea of "an app that makes apps" is more appealing than ever. Sometimes I just want the computer to do what I tell it to, instead of being used as a constant vehicle to upsell me.

Imagine a world where you just describe what you need and the phone does it, no apps required.

There is less and less incentive for developers to create that world for users, so empowering users to create it for themselves could be revolutionary.

 

[littleredwagen]

IMHO, this may be a controversial opinion, but I agree with this decision. You should learn how to program and build apps and code properly, rather than allow an AI to code for you, without understanding what it is doing.

Sometimes, a little learning and understanding about how things work is needed.

Same here, and also because as good as newer AI models can be, they still make errors and and can't analyze like a person and look for Bugs, that could be security flaws. Poorly coded apps don't do good for anyone.

 

[CChrisG]

Thanks, Apple ..maybe this will finally cut down on those polished-but-pointless apps that just scrape other sites and run on tangled, spaghetti-code backends.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I’m so glad that my prior looking into things like “Gurman” and “The Information” gives me a good idea right up front as to how seriously to take this story. 🙂

 

[HouseLannister]

but Vibe coding seems like it would lead to endless slop...

Something something electron apps joke... OK Google, write me a better quip.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Counterpoint: software has become so user hostile these days, the idea of "an app that makes apps" is more appealing than ever. Sometimes I just want the computer to do what I tell it to, instead of being used as a constant vehicle to upsell me.

Imagine a world where you just describe what you need and the phone does it, no apps required.

There is less and less incentive for developers to create that world for users, so empowering users to create it for themselves could be revolutionary.

Counter-counterpoint: People are making it to college without knowing how to read and struggling on the simplest passages. Perhaps software isn’t user hostile, but users are knowledge hostile. 🙂

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I mean, yeah, that's very true, and it sounds frustrating. But again, I don't think that's Apple's call to make. Artificially hindering the tools available to your customers because they devalue more professional work is not a healthy stance for a platform long-term.

It is healthy for the platform because it maintains their stance on good quality apps.

Plus Apple is trying to protect us Developers, at least while they can.
Eventually Vibe coding will take over, but it's too early now.
Remember when Flappy Bird first came out? And how many copycat apps appeared right after? Hundreds of "Flappy Apps" flooded the App Store. Imagine what would happen now? How many cheap copycat apps of legitimately good apps could appear if there are no regulations?

Vibe coding is a great tool to have to solve programming issues such as creating a specific function or other minor tasks. Or even to create a Skeleton app that then you can customize.

 

[applicious84]

I dunno vibecode, but tell most developers that you're blocking Replit or other important tools, and there will be questions

They already block xcode for most people because it's a resource hog and a terrible ide

 

[roklanhavok]

I love AI, but AI Slop is something I see almost everywhere now. I try to only watch YouTube channels that have a real human in them. Not a bunch of clips of nonsense and probably an AI voice. AI is supposed to help you, it's not supposed to BE you.

 

[mozumder]

Apple needs to buy out Replit and integrate it into their OS immediately. It's basically the next step beyond office apps. We should be able to write our own throwaway task-specific apps, like we create word or excel documents. It should be a native part of an operating system that grandmothers can utilize.

I'd much rather vibe code an app in English instead of creating a spreadsheet for some menial task. It would actually be a lot easier to vibe code an app than create an excel doc.

Like, immediately I could use a vibe coded party planner, or a vibe coded bookkeeping system for my business.