Anything App Shifts Strategy After Apple Store Rejections

The “vibe-coding” sector is facing a severe crackdown from Apple, with the tech giant actively blocking updates and removing software that enables users to generate apps from mobile devices. Among the most affected is the platform Anything, which has been purged from the App Store twice in recent months.

Co-founder Dhruv Amin confirmed that the application was initially pulled on March 26. Despite a brief window of reinstatement on April 3, the app was quickly removed again, leaving the team to navigate a complex regulatory dispute with the iPhone maker.

The Conflict Over Developer Guideline 2.5.2

At the heart of the standoff is Apple’s developer agreement clause 2.5.2, which prohibits applications from downloading, installing, or executing external code. Apple’s stance, according to internal correspondence shared by the Anything team, centers on security concerns:

• Apple fears these tools could be exploited to download malicious code.
• Regulators at Apple expressed concern that users could build harmful software and “sideload” it onto devices, falsely claiming it passed official App Review protocols.
• The company explicitly objected to Anything marketing itself as a builder capable of 1-tap App Store submissions and full source code editing.

Amin described the ordeal as a “long saga,” noting that the app functioned without issue through December. Since then, the developer has attempted to reconcile via calls and technical rewrites, but Apple remains firm against tools that function as mobile app generators.

Strategic Pivot: Desktop and Android

Facing mounting pressure on iOS, the team behind Anything is shifting its development roadmap. The company is currently building a desktop companion app to allow users to continue “vibe-coding” mobile projects from their computers. Additionally, Amin suggested that the platform might prioritize Google’s Android ecosystem, citing its more open approach to software development.

The company has also experimented with new distribution channels, recently launching a feature that allows users to build applications directly within the iMessage platform.

Broad Industry Pushback

The restriction of development tools has drawn sharp criticism from industry figures, including Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. Reacting to the situation on X, Sweeney argued that Apple should cease blocking development tools immediately, citing the open-computing philosophy originally championed by Steve Wozniak.

This regulatory friction arrives at a volatile time for the App Store. Reports indicate an 84% surge in app submissions this quarter, largely driven by AI-powered coding tools. As consumer demand for self-created software grows, Apple faces the mounting challenge of reconciling its rigid human-led review processes with the rapid evolution of generative AI.