“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.
This article, “Apple Quietly Blocks Updates for Popular ‘Vibe Coding’ Apps” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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