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Apple Pulls Vibe Coding App 'Anything' From App Store, Escalating Enforcement

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Apple has removed a "vibe coding" app from its App Store, reports The Information. AI app building app "Anything" was pulled from the ‌App Store‌, and Anything co-founder Dhruv Amin was told that his app violated Guideline 2.5.2.

iOS App Store General Feature Black
"Vibe coding" is a term used for code generated using AI based on natural language with no coding experience necessary. Anything and other apps like it let users create apps, websites, and tools with text-based prompts.

Apple started removing vibe coding apps from the ‌App Store‌ earlier in March, and the company said that certain features in the apps that were pulled violate code execution rules. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that there are no specific rules against vibe coding, but the apps have to adhere to longstanding guidelines. Apple specifically mentioned Guideline 2.5.2, which is the rule Anything apparently violated.

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.

"Anything" launched on iOS back in November with no issue, and Amin says the tool has been used to publish thousands of apps in the ‌App Store‌. The app let users create and preview vibe code apps on the iPhone, and it raised $11 million at a valuation of $100 million back in September.

While Anything was removed from the ‌App Store‌ on March 26, Apple has been blocking updates to the app since December. Amin submitted an update that would allow vibe coded apps to be previewed in a web browser instead of in the app to attempt to comply with the 2.5.2 rule, but Apple blocked the update and pulled the app.

Apple previously blocked iOS updates to Vibecode and Replit, vibe coding apps used to generate other apps.

Tag: App Store

Top Rated Comments

J
JPivlit
2 days ago at 02:50 pm
Vibecoded apps are a scourge
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TracesOfArsenic Avatar
TracesOfArsenic
2 days ago at 03:04 pm
iOS feels vibe coded.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
Delivered
2 days ago at 03:46 pm

When you buy a home, you can put any furniture in it you like, remodel its interior however you like, and so on. You don't have to have architected it for it to be your own home.
Thank you. I love this way of putting it. I don’t understand why so many act like they buy the house but the builder gets to decide what goes in it. They even decide if your own kids get to go into the house as you can’t write your own software and just put it onto your devices. They actually have to be provisioned by Apple.


Again, Apple is selling these for profit not at a loss. There should be no expectation for them to get any further revenue from you once they sell you the device.

It’s not it works for Macs, Windows, Linux, Android.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
justanotherdave
2 days ago at 05:37 pm
The comments here tell me there aren’t many developers.

An App that can download code is able to bypass Apple review policies and safety systems by modifying it’s functionality. This puts users at risk as the App that Apple checked before publishing isn’t the same as what’s on your device.

If you change functionality you must submit a new version of the app for approval.

Let’s say I’m making a game. To save time I could license a gaming engine like Unreal or Unity3D or use a third party SDK (software development kit). This saves me a lot of time writing code. I don’t need to reinvent the wheel (write new code) for every function in my App.

The problem arises if this third party SDK contains code designed to try and hack devices or introduce malware. This has actually happened and Apple has blocked Apps using certain SDKs that were stealing user data or trying to bypass App Tracking Transparency.

Allowing an App to modify its own code AFTER install is a major security/privacy risk.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
123jmail Avatar
123jmail
2 days ago at 03:57 pm

I didn't sign any such agreement when I bought an iPhone.
I've never read them either, but I'm sure you did when clicked on "Accept"
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
CarAnalogy
2 days ago at 02:57 pm
The problem is Apple forcing these things to go through the App Store.

There should be no problem with generating and running applications on one's own device.

Of course the problem with that is an existential one for Apple, as their entire business depends on siphoning a cut of all applications that run on their platform.

Edit: I'm curious which part of this people are disagreeing with. As usual most people just drive by disagree without saying why.

Is it the local code part, the business model part, or both? I'm genuinely curious and want to hear a different opinion than mine.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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