Apple has reversed its decision to remove the Amphetamine utility app from the App Store. Amphetamine, which is a free app that helps keep Mac awake was released on the Mac App Store in 2014. However, creator William Gustafson wrote on a Github page that he was approached by a representative from Apple on December 29, 2020, who said that the app violated Apple’s App Store 1.4.3 guideline, which talks about apps that encourage consumption of tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs.
“Apps that encourage consumption of tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol are not permitted on the App Store. Apps that encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. Facilitating the sale of marijuana, tobacco, or controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies) isn’t allowed,” the guideline read.
“Your app appears to promote inappropriate use of controlled substances. Specifically, your app name and icon include references to controlled substances, pills.” Apple told the Gustafson. The Cupertino technology company added that the app will be removed from the App Store on January 12, 2021, if the required changes were not made.
On January 2, 2021, Gustafson was told on a call by an Apple representative that they have reversed their decision to remove his app from the Mac App Store as the company now “recognizes that the word “amphetamine” and the pill icon are being used “metaphorically”, and in a “medical sense.”
What’s interesting is that Apple tried to remove the app six years after it was released for the Mac App Store. As of now, the Amphetamine app has a 4.8 rating and is compatible with Mac OS X 10.11 or later versions. According to Gustafson, it has been downloaded over 432,800 times.
Apple recently removed 39,000 game apps from its China App Store as part of a crackdown on unlicensed games on the platform. Apple had given the game publishers till June 2020 to obtain licenses for their games on the App Store, which lets gamers make in-app purchases via the App Store in China. Further, the deadline was extended but somehow it looks like publishers did not get a clear message, the reason why their apps have been eventually removed from the App Store.
from Apple reverses decision to remove Amphetamine app from App Store
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