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

[Parowdy]

nor may they download, install, or execute code which introduces or changes features or functionality of the app

I don’t understand this part. To me that reads as though, when I purchase and download an app and open it for the first time, it may not download any more additional content to change how it works. But that’s what games like PUBG and whatnot are doing to some extend, isn’t it?
It probably makes more sense when put into context, it just stuck out to me.

 

[CarAnalogy]

yes/no..

AI has made the problem 10000% worse.. Because now you can use the AI tools to write all your papers with zero effort.

This New York magazine article from 2025 was extremely sobering.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/openai-chatgpt-ai-cheating-education-college-students-school.html?utm_campaign=nym&utm_medium=s1&utm_source=twitter

Yeah, you've always been able to cheat your way through school. This is why in-person testing is so important.

If someone can AI their way through a doctoral thesis that's the school's issue. People who go to school just to get the grades by any means necessary and don't learn anything aren't going to make it very far.

 

[turbineseaplane]

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.

Is that really the place of Apple to decide?

I think Apple should let users do what they want on their own devices.

 

[ikramerica]

Yeah, you've always been able to cheat your way through school. This is why in-person testing is so important.

If someone can AI their way through a doctoral thesis that's the school's issue. People who go to school just to get the grades by any means necessary and don't learn anything aren't going to make it very far.

When so many jobs require a “degree” for no reason, why would people who have to work for a living and “earn” that degree in their free time not try to make it go faster?

I am not talking about professional degrees and programs. I am talking about the whole “paper ceiling” concept.

 

[ikramerica]

I don’t understand this part. To me that reads as though, when I purchase and download an app and open it for the first time, it may not download any more additional content to change how it works. But that’s what games like PUBG and whatnot are doing to some extend, isn’t it?
It probably makes more sense when put into context, it just stuck out to me.

No. I think the problem is this: you can’t create executable code inside the iOS environment.

Your example is downloading content by the app creator which is tested during the submission process.

But these apps allow the app user to create new code that then modifies the app.

Maybe there needs to be a new section of the iOS garden where AI app creation can live but not get out.

 

[svish]

Good to know about this. Will be interesting to see the type of apps developed by these so called vibe coding apps.

 

[icwhatudidthere]

No. I think the problem is this: you can’t create executable code inside the iOS environment.

Your example is downloading content by the app creator which is tested during the submission process.

But these apps allow the app user to create new code that then modifies the app.

Maybe there needs to be a new section of the iOS garden where AI app creation can live but not get out.

According to the article though, they're saying it's web apps:

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.

Which is weird because the Claude ios app can do it just fine.

 

[Piggie]

Let's ignore bugs and errors as these are of course things that will only be minimised and all of the abilities will only increase as time goes on.

If you think about what ChatGPT was able to do on day one of it's public release of Nov 2022 (under 3.5 years ago) and you think of all the GIANT leaps from all companies that have taken place in this tiny amount of time.

Now think of what another 5, 10, 20, even 50 years (and 50 years is just one persons typical working life span)
Imagine what these systems will be like by then.

I of course don't know, but I can imagine, given this amount of time and development, both in the hardware created to run and produce it, and the ever increasing development of the AI systems themselves.

Someone born today, when they get to the 40's and 50's "Computing" as we know it is going to look vastly different.

Perhaps buying programs to carry out a task will seem a very odd concept, a bit like many would consider buying 100's of cassette tapes and VHS tape to be able to listen to music or watch a movie would seem weird to someone born today who grows up in a world of streaming.

I can imagine much more "asking for a task to be done" and some AI powered system just does it and gives you the help/result you want.

We'll just feel it's natural to share what we are doing with AI systems, so (like a personal secretary/helper/family member) they will be there to help us with whatever task we wish to do.

You may not like this future world, but I have trouble imagining any situation (other than world war or some impact from space) that would stop this progress from happening.

You may not like it, but it's going to happen, there is too much money and willpower across the whole world frantically working on this for things not to dramatically change.

 

[Frantisekj]

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

Does Apple tries force app for building iOS apps to stop build iOS apps? The way it does. 🤔

 

[anshuvorty]

Is that really the place of Apple to decide?

I think Apple should let users do what they want on their own devices.

Even if it is to their own demise and detriment?

We have seen what a free market economy has done to our mental health with the smartphone - no regulations for at least around 1.5 decades - it has led to smartphone addiction and an overall negative mental health outcome for a majority of the global population; hence why governments are now stepping in (albeit too slowly for my own liking) and creating regulations to curtail that addiction (starting with juniors and restricting their access to social media).

Sometimes, you need regulations to be forced upon to you for your own good.

 

[Tim Jobs the 2nd]

Even if it is to their own demise and detriment?

We have seen what a free market economy has done to our mental health with the smartphone - no regulations for at least around 1.5 decades - it has led to smartphone addiction and an overall negative mental health outcome for a majority of the global population; hence why governments are now stepping in (albeit too slowly for my own liking) and creating regulations to curtail that addiction (starting with juniors and restricting their access to social media).

Sometimes, you need regulations to be forced upon to you for your own good.

You'd love living in China then.

I respectfully disagree with you. Kids should have better parents. That's who should regulate behavior, not Apple.

 

[definitive]

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.

why would it be controversial? vibe coded stuff is majority junk, and presents all kids of maintenance and security issues. a person who doesn't know how to code or how to inspect what's being built by ai suddenly thinks that he or she is a genius. the ai assistant won't say no, or disagree with the person using it. everything is "yes! this is great!" not "hold on, this may present a problem down the line. let's fix it before we move forward." and suddenly your system is broken into, user data is stolen, software is used for malicious purposes, and you're sitting there trying to get your ai to repair it at 3am, only to create five new problems, while barely fixing the first one.

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

I’m so conflicted about this
On one hand this being done for the sake of not allowing anyone to compete with Xcode and the App Store rubs me the wrong way

On the other hand I really really really don’t like vibe coding

 

[Tim Jobs the 2nd]

I’m so conflicted about this
On one hand this being done for the sake of not allowing anyone to compete with Xcode and the App Store rubs me the wrong way

On the other hand I really really really don’t like vibe coding

this doesn't prevent vibe coding though, can just vibe code in Gemini Pro.

 

[Piggie]

As someone who, their entire life has always been excited by tech and "the next thing" I will admit I do struggle to understand the negativity from many I see here.

As a young if I heard this type of viewpoint I'd genuinely have put it down to it being old grumpy adults who resent change, don't like new things and just want to stick to the old ways of doing things.

The funny bit I feel a lot is just when in time should we pick to stop adjusting how things are done?

Let's think of some examples:

I use a lighter to light things.
That's cheating, you should learn to use wood and string and some fine kindling to start a fire the proper way, not just use some slop tech product to do the task for you.

I use a calculator to do maths for me:
That's cheating, you should have studied and learned to do the maths on paper and in your head the correct way, not just use some slop tech tool to do the job for you.

We can of course, then talk about the Metal and engineering industry constantly making things easier to do, and removing all the old real skills.

The textile industry, Cloths, Rugs etc etc. All people using tool to make the job easier so they don't have to use the old methods that may take many years of studying to achieve.

But now it's hitting the human brain and in this case some programmers who don't like it when someone who may not have the time, nor the mental ability to learn to code in any meaningful manner.

Almost "How dare you be able to produce a computer program without going thru the work I had to"

Well guess what, millions around the world who had skills in many areas have lost their jobs because humans invented other easier ways to do those tasks.
And "YOU" who are moaning are the very ones who have (for your own life) benefitted in countless ways from all these advancements.

I'm thankful we still have people who want to push forward and make advances, and we are not ruled by those who think we should just stop where we are and not try and enhance everyone's ability to be able to do something.

 

[reuptake]

iPhone should prevent users from making photos, 99% of those photos are crap. And worse: people are sharing those photos, making world a worse place. Taking photos with iPhone should require applying for Apple Photo Excellence Licence ($99/month).

 

[Piggie]

Oh, and I'm currently just experimenting (for fun only) with a little bit of Vibe Coding.
Anyone who thinks you just type in a fully working, amazing game, exactly how you thought it was going to work and look with minimal effort is going to be in for a massive shock.
It's super fun and also amazingly frustrating at the same time.
But it 100% can open up a new experience for those willing to put in the time and effort.

 

[btrach144]

As someone who, their entire life has always been excited by tech and "the next thing" I will admit I do struggle to understand the negativity from many I see here.

As a young if I heard this type of viewpoint I'd genuinely have put it down to it being old grumpy adults who resent change, don't like new things and just want to stick to the old ways of doing things.

The funny bit I feel a lot is just when in time should we pick to stop adjusting how things are done?

Let's think of some examples:

I use a lighter to light things.
That's cheating, you should learn to use wood and string and some fine kindling to start a fire the proper way, not just use some slop tech product to do the task for you.

I use a calculator to do maths for me:
That's cheating, you should have studied and learned to do the maths on paper and in your head the correct way, not just use some slop tech tool to do the job for you.

We can of course, then talk about the Metal and engineering industry constantly making things easier to do, and removing all the old real skills.

The textile industry, Cloths, Rugs etc etc. All people using tool to make the job easier so they don't have to use the old methods that may take many years of studying to achieve.

But now it's hitting the human brain and in this case some programmers who don't like it when someone who may not have the time, nor the mental ability to learn to code in any meaningful manner.

Almost "How dare you be able to produce a computer program without going thru the work I had to"

Well guess what, millions around the world who had skills in many areas have lost their jobs because humans invented other easier ways to do those tasks.
And "YOU" who are moaning are the very ones who have (for your own life) benefitted in countless ways from all these advancements.

I'm thankful we still have people who want to push forward and make advances, and we are not ruled by those who think we should just stop where we are and not try and enhance everyone's ability to be able to do something.

It's because many on here went to coding bootcamps and spent $20k on it.

Or went to get a CS degree and spent $100k on it.

Now some script kiddie can become vibe coder and it greatly equalizes the playing field.

People feel threatened.

 

[Piggie]

It's because many on here went to coding bootcamps and spent $20k on it.

Or went to get a CS degree and spent $100k on it.

Now some script kiddie can become vibe coder and it greatly equalizes the playing field.

People feel threatened.

I guess you are probably correct.
We have some people who will embrace this new tech and use it as a tool to help them work, and you will have those who just refuse to consider it, and want the whole thing to disappear.

As someone (myself) who used to code a little bit many years ago and lost the skills/interest over time.
I have tried just a little bit of what we are calling "vibe coding" just for some personal fun, and I find it fascinating.
Anyone who is under the impressing you can just throw a few lines of text in and have a fully finished, great looking and working app is very much mistaken...

Honestly, the time I have spent trying to get the AI to understand what I actually want, I'm sure has taken me way longer in many instances than a coder would have taken to do it in the first place.
But it has given me back a little interest for some fun and simple personal projects.

 

[btrach144]

I guess you are probably correct.
We have some people who will embrace this new tech and use it as a tool to help them work, and you will have those who just refuse to consider it, and want the whole thing to disappear.

As someone (myself) who used to code a little bit many years ago and lost the skills/interest over time.
I have tried just a little bit of what we are calling "vibe coding" just for some personal fun, and I find it fascinating.
Anyone who is under the impressing you can just throw a few lines of text in and have a fully finished, great looking and working app is very much mistaken...

Honestly, the time I have spent trying to get the AI to understand what I actually want, I'm sure has taken me way longer in many instances than a coder would have taken to do it in the first place.
But it has given me back a little interest for some fun and simple personal projects.

I mean I don’t want to antagonize those on here who have $100k CS degrees.

But as you said, AI is not going away. And our dinosaur government leaders are too out of touch to regulate the market to protect jobs.

So as a coder, either you embrace it or you become a dinosaur yourself.

My cousin’s ex boyfriend got a degree in neuroscience. But besides a limited amount of research jobs, it’s a worthless degree. He couldn’t get a job for 3 years.

He went back to college and graduated with a CS degree a year and a half ago. It sucks because now dev jobs are hard to come by and he’s in the same boat again. A degree with a decreasing outlook.

We just spent the last 15 years telling kids they should become coders and now the market does this? It sucks

Who could have seen this coming?

 

[I WAS the one]

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:



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]

I’m confused by the pushback. AI-assisted development is the inevitable future of software. Expecting 'hand-coded' apps in an era where every IDE is powered by AI feels outdated. We don't require authors to hand-write books to sell them on Apple Books, so why apply that logic to the App Store?