Apple Silently Blocks Updates to Popular ‘Vibe Coding’ Apps [Updated]

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

“Vibe coding” tools allow users with little programming experience to create applications or websites using natural language information. Their accessibility has spurred rapid adoption among both developers and non-technical users.

Apple said Information that certain aspects of the vibe code violate long-standing App Store rules that prevent apps from using code that changes their functionality or that of other apps. Some of these apps also support software builds for Apple devices, which may have contributed to the lateness of new App Store submissions and, in some cases, slower approval times, according to developers.

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

When platforms like Replit create an app, they often display it inside the actual app using an embedded webview. This is something that Apple seems to be against. The company is now waiting for approval if it modifies its operating system to open applications produced in an external browser rather than the in-app web view.

In the case of Vibecode, the review team has indicated it may allow updates if the app removes the ability to generate software specific to Apple devices, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Information claims that Apple’s intervention has threatened the viewership and growth of code-viewing applications. For example, since its last update in January, the Replit mobile app has dropped from first to third place in Apple’s free developer tools rankings, a drop the company attributes in part to its inability to issue updates, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Vibe’s coding apps present a potential concern for Apple because they enable users to create apps that work outside of the App Store ecosystem, while competing with Xcode. Some developers believe that Apple has an incentive to steer them to its own tools, which would make switching to other platforms more difficult.

Update: Apple said MacRumors that it has no rules specifically against “vibe coding” apps and that the App Review Guidelines are designed to encourage innovation while maintaining user safety. The company pointed to the App Update Guide 2.5.2:

Applications must be self-contained in their own stacks, and may not read or write data outside of the designated container environment, and may not download, install, or run code that introduces or changes features or functionality of the application, including other applications. Educational applications designed to teach, develop, or allow students to test executable code may, in limited circumstances, download code as long as such code is not used for other purposes. Such applications must make the source code provided by the application completely viewable and editable by the user.

Similarly, the Developer Program License states that such code can be downloaded from an app, but only if it does not “change the primary purpose” of the app by “providing features or functionality inconsistent with the intended and advertised purpose” of the app.

When Apple discovers that an app doesn’t comply with App Store rules, it usually explains the violation to the developer and seeks to work with them to help bring the app into compliance. In the matter mentioned in InformationIn Apple’s report, Apple says it has maintained constant communication with developers about the guidelines violation.