AppGratis CEO on Apple's Removal of the Company's App from the App Store

AppGratis, an app recommendation application for iOS, was recently pulled from the App Store for violating Guideline 2.5 and 5.6. AppGratis sent one push notification per day to users informing them of a hand-picked and tested application that was worth downloading.

Simon Dawlat, CEO at AppGratis, recounts the story of how he heard the news...

A few hours before starting to write this, I landed in São Paulo, Brazil on a visit to our local office here. I turned on my iPhone after an exhausting 12-hour redeye from Paris, only to receive notifications for over 75 missed calls, and a seemingly infinite flow of unread text messages. I almost fainted.

These things only happen when a relative or a friend dies, or gets caught in a terrible accident. I immediately thought that someone in my family had passed away during my flight and couldn’t touch my phone for a few minutes. Scared. Paralyzed. Trying to imagine what the terrible news could be. But by now Apple has issued an official statement, and the Wall Street Journal has published it. And as you’ve guessed, my friends and relatives are fine. They’re just worried for me now.

Dawlat says that Apple pulled his application for allegedly violating Guidelines 2.25 and 5.6.

Guideline 2.25 says that "Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected."

Guideline 5.6 says that "Apps cannot use Push Notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing of any kind."


Dawlat 'still stunned that Apple took the decision to destroy so much value within their own ecosystem' is asking anyone in charge at Apple to contact him in hopes of resolving the situation. Even if he is successful in returning to the App Store, it's a reminder to all iOS developers that Apple can pull the rug out from under you at anytime.

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