Apple has tightened its App Store review guidelines, stating for the first time unequivocally that poorly designed apps can not only be rejected but also subsequently removed from the store. Particularly overcrowded categories are being targeted – and repeat offenders even face expulsion from the developer program.
The revised App Review Guidelines went into effect this week; Apple summarized the changes in a developer notice on June 8 and published them along with a revision of the Developer Program License Agreement. At its core, the guidelines introduce stricter language regarding spam and low-quality software - a persistent issue that has plagued the quality of the App Store search for years. This change is part of a broader process in which Apple is restructuring the store's rules in several areas: The company is simultaneously working on opening the App Store to AI agents, and the recent introduction of monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment has sparked considerable discussion. This new quality initiative fits into this broader context.
Saturated categories are coming under pressure
The most significant practical impact is likely to come from the revised rule 4.3(b) concerning spam. Previously, it merely prohibited flooding an already overcrowded category with further interchangeable submissions. The new wording goes considerably further: Apps that are not recognizably different from what is already widely available should not even pass the review process.
Apple specifies particular categories considered established and saturated – including dating apps, flashlights, sound effects, wallpapers, simple timers, and fortune-telling apps. New submissions in these areas will only be accepted if they offer a noticeably different or improved experience. Crucially, the second part of the new clause explicitly reserves the right to remove previously released apps of this type if they are not updated or improved, or simply fail to attract users. This rule, for the first time, clearly extends beyond the point of submission.
Farting, burping, and drinking game apps are considered worthless.
A second group is treated even more dismissively by Apple. The company labels applications like drinking games, Kama Sutra apps, and fart and burp programs as "mediocre, low-quality, or created with minimal effort" and denies them any added value for the App Store. Under the new rules, anyone who repeatedly submits such apps risks being excluded from the Apple Developer Program - meaning the loss of all developer access, including the annual program fee.
Compared to the old version, which merely dismissed these categories as "already sufficiently represented" and threatened rejection, the language is now more precise and consistent. Apple is likely to not only approve fewer apps in overcrowded categories, but also, in the long run, weed out existing bloatware that generates no interest.
More responsibility for user-generated content
Beyond the spam rule, Apple has updated its 1.2 policy on user-generated content – the very rule under which the company recently threatened to remove apps like Grok. A new passage clearly places the responsibility on the developers: they must remove content that violates the guidelines, their own terms of service, or community standards, such as pornographic material.
If Apple itself discovers such content, the company requests its removal and demands a plan for ensuring future compliance. Depending on the response, an app can be removed from the store until the developers provide demonstrable improvements. In cases of particularly serious or repeated violations, Apple reserves the right to immediately remove the app from the App Store and the developer program. Therefore, anyone who fails to present a viable plan for remediation must expect to be removed.
Live Activities may no longer be used for spam
The third specific change concerns rule 4.5.3. Apple now clarifies that Live Activities may not be used to spam users, phish, or send unsolicited messages. The dynamic Live Activities on the Lock Screen and in Dynamic Island are intended as real-time status displays - for example, for sports scores, deliveries, or running timers - and should not be repurposed as an additional advertising channel.
Child protection and licensing agreement also revised
In addition to the three much-discussed points, Apple has addressed other areas as well. The introduction to the guidelines has been revised with a focus on protecting children and young people, and the closely related rule 4.3(a) has also received a more precise explanation, including an additional example. At the same time, Apple has revised the Developer Program License Agreement in numerous places, including grouped provisions on AI and machine learning technologies, as well as updated requirements for the Foundation Models Framework. Apple plans to release translations of the revised agreement within one month.
Stricter curation as a guideline for the App Store
At first glance, the update appears to be mere editorial tweaking of an already extensive set of rules, but it sends a clear signal. By explicitly including the removal of existing apps in the spam rule, Apple is shifting curation from a simple initial screening process to ongoing quality control. For developers with well-designed applications, little will change – but those who rely on quick clones in full categories will face greater challenges. Especially in an era where generative tools further accelerate the production of such disposable apps, Apple is likely keeping a close eye on this very deluge. (Image: Apple)
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