Apple's enforcement of its developer agreement has caught vibe-coding apps in the crosshairs. Anything, a mobile app builder, has been removed from the App Store twice since March 26, joining Replit and Vibecode in facing restrictions from the iPhone maker.
According to co-founder Dhruv Amin, Anything operated without incident through December. The trouble began after the new year when Apple began blocking updates across the vibe-coding category. Anything's app was removed on March 26 for violating clause 2.5.2, which prevents apps from downloading, installing, or executing code.
Apple's stated concern centered on the app's marketing and functionality. In an email to Anything, Apple noted that the app "markets itself as a mobile app builder for iPhone and advertises making native iOS apps with features like 1-tap App Store submissions, code export, and full source code editing."
When Anything secured a direct conversation with Apple, the company articulated a more granular worry: the potential for vibe-coding tools to be misused. Apple told Anything that the app could enable users to download malicious code, build harmful applications, sideload them onto their devices, and then falsely claim those apps had passed Apple's App Review process.
Things momentarily improved when Anything's app was restored on April 3. That relief proved short-lived. Apple removed the app again after determining the company could not market itself as an app maker.
Facing this impasse, Anything has begun exploring alternative routes to serve its user base. The company launched a feature enabling users to build apps using iMessage. More substantially, Amin announced plans to develop a desktop companion app that would allow users to build mobile apps from their computers.
Another option Amin flagged was shifting focus to Android. Unlike Apple, he noted, Google's platform operates with greater openness, suggesting a potential path forward if iOS remains blocked.
Anything's situation reflects a broader friction between Apple's security posture and developer tool innovation. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney weighed in on the dispute, calling on Apple to "stop blocking development tools apps ASAP," and invoking Apple's founding principles as expressed by Steve Wozniak—where the Apple II computer booted directly to a programming language prompt and treated using and making software equally.
The stakes for Apple's stance may be rising. Earlier in April, The Information reported that AI-powered coding tools have driven an 84% jump in app submissions in a single quarter. That volume could force Apple to reevaluate its human-led review processes and may put pressure on the company if consumers increasingly expect platforms to empower them to build their own apps.