Apple will let the Amphetamine app stay in the App Store after mistakenly telling the developer it is breaking App Store rules

The developer of Amphetamine, an app that prevents Macs from going to sleep, says Apple told him it was in violation of App Store guidelines, even though it had been in the App Store since 2014 and no. had nothing to do with drug use. Shortly after The edge contacted Apple for comment on Saturday, however, the company reversed its decision and the app will be able to keep its current name and logo.

William C. Gustafson said in January 1 posts on Reddit and Github that Apple had informed him that it had two weeks to “remove all references to the word ‘amphetamine’ and remove the pill from the icon.” If he didn’t, Gustafson wrote, Apple said it would remove the app from the App Store on January 12. The logo features a cartoon image of a pill.

Gustafson said The edge he got a call Saturday from Apple granting his call – but he didn’t have any information on how the app was reported in the first place. “I specifically asked Apple over the phone if this was the result of customer complaints and Apple’s response was ‘I don’t think so’,” he said. “I found it strange that this problem came out of nowhere. I wasn’t trying to update Amphetamine or anything. I’m just sitting at home with my kids enjoying our vacation and got the violation / reject email from Apple.

Gustafson says Apple contacted him on Dec. 29 and told him that amphetamine “appears to promote inappropriate use of controlled substances. Specifically, your app name and icon include references to controlled substances and pills. “

The free macOS app has been downloaded over 432,000 times, with a rating of 4.8, Gustafson said, noting that Apple even featured Amphetamine in a Mac App Store story. He said he has had numerous interactions with Apple employees for updates to the app since its launch, with no one objecting to the name or logo so far.

The specific App Store guideline that Gustafson has been accused of violating is this, which states that “apps that promote the consumption of tobacco or vaping products, illegal drugs or excessive amounts of alcohol are not not allowed on the App Store. Applications which encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. Facilitating the sale of marijuana, tobacco or controlled substances (except licensed pharmacies) is prohibited. “

Gustafson says Amphetamine does none of the above, and said changing the name of the app would have destroyed its brand recognition and potentially made it harder for users to find future updates.

Gustafson initially said he didn’t expect his appeal to be successful, and indeed Apple generally abides by App Store rules quite closely in most cases. The company has faced pressure from developers on multiple fronts in recent months, with major industry companies such as Spotify, Tile and Epic Games forming a group called the Coalition for App Fairness. He says Apple’s rules create an uneven playing field in its App Stores.

Basecamp co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson wrestled with Apple last summer over the design of the mobile app for his company’s email client, Hey. And Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Apple in August after the iOS version of its Battle Royale game. Fortnite was eliminated from the App Store. Epic had implemented its own payment processing system in the iOS version of Fortnite, which is against the rules of the App Store.

Apple did not immediately comment on Saturday.