Apple is drawing criticism for restricting “vibe coding” apps such as Replit, which let non-coders build and run software through conversational AI. The company has blocked updates and removed at least one app on safety grounds, a move critics say conflicts with Apple’s founding ethos of democratizing computing and risks diverting the next wave of app creation to the open web. Apple argues it is consistently enforcing long-standing App Store rules to screen unvetted code, even as it rolls AI-assisted features into its own Xcode tools. The stakes are considerable: Apple’s Services unit generated $109 billion in revenue last fiscal year, with gross margins above 75%, and the company takes a 15%–30% cut on App Store transactions. While App Store releases jumped 60% to more than 550,000 last year, many AI-built projects live outside Apple’s review process on the web. Developers say inconsistent enforcement has delayed updates and cost revenue, and antitrust scholars warn platform owners often steer innovation away from threats to their control. Apple has fought similar battles over payments, sideloading and mini-app ecosystems; this one could shape where the next generation of software gets built—and whether Apple remains at its center.
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