Apple has banned the account of Appstun, a company founded by one of the winners of the 2021 WWDC student competition. According to an announcement on Appstun’s website, the account closure followed multiple rejections of an app that Apple believes violated the App Store’s guidelines.
Apple’s Concerns and App Rejections
Apple’s decision to close the developer’s account was highlighted on X by Apple critic and 37signals co-owner and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson, who remarked on the advantages web developers have by not relying on big tech companies. “There’s no fear of capricious rejections that can suddenly kill a business overnight,” Hansson noted.
Appstun co-founder Batuhan Karababa explained that he and another co-founder tried to work through the App Store rejections with Apple. “We were transparent and worked with Apple to ensure our app didn’t violate any policies. However, as the process continued, we encountered rejections for issues we believed were resolved in previous submissions. Apple didn’t think our solution was good enough,” reads a post on Appstun’s website.
The company faced multiple rejections for its Apple Watch face app, which offered customizable watch faces. However, these were not traditional watch faces but rather custom images and animations that ran independently of the Apple Watch face system. This approach allowed Appstun to offer more customization options, though it could also drain the Apple Watch’s battery faster. Apple was concerned that users might be misled into thinking they were getting real watch faces.
Apple’s Final Decision and Developer Response
Appstun added notifications to clarify that these weren’t real watch faces, hoping to satisfy Apple’s concerns. Despite these efforts, Apple decided to close the developer’s account after repeated rejections. The company has sought help on its website to restore the account, promising, “we’ll keep you updated” on any progress.
Apple, however, has its own side of the story. The tech giant claims that Appstun’s app repeatedly misled users into believing it offered features and functionality it did not support. Apple also accused Appstun of promoting the app with deceptive advertising, leading to negative reviews and ratings.
Users complained that the custom animations or images did not work as real watch faces. One buyer expressed frustration, writing, “I bought this to get what looks like a Rolex watch face… it’s not a watch face, it’s just a picture… the hands don’t even move.” Another review questioned whether Appstun had permission from Rolex, calling the app “a pure scam.”
Apple pointed to its developer code of conduct, specifically guideline 5.6, which warns that “repeated manipulative or deceptive behavior or other fraudulent activity will result in your removal from the Apple Developer Program.”
Apple’s Ongoing Efforts Against App Store Fraud
Deceptive apps and subscriptions have long been a problem on the App Store, and Apple has often been criticized for not taking action against many of the worst offenders, reminds NIX Solutions. For example, the teen app NGL was banned by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission after deceiving users. Apple may need to be more vigilant as it faces increasing scrutiny from regulators over fees and commissions.
Earlier this year, Apple reported stopping $1.8 billion in App Store fraud, down from $2 billion in potential fraud the year before. The company also said it rejected 248,000 apps that were spam, copies, or misleading, and took steps to prevent 84,000 potentially fraudulent apps from reaching users. Nearly 40,000 apps were removed or rejected for violating the “bait-and-switch” rule.