Apple backs off after popular Mac app ‘Amphetamine’ threatened with deletion for brand

The popular Mac app “Amphetamine” will remain on the Mac App Store after being threatened with deletion for its name and brand, which Apple said violated App Store guidelines.

Amphetamine is a free Mac application that helps users to keep their machine awake for a fixed period of time. Launched in 2014, the app has been downloaded over 432,000 times and is highly rated on the “Mac App Store”. The app was also presented by MacRumors in the old days. After six years on the ‌Mac App Store‌, Apple suddenly decided that Amphetamine was in violation of the ‌App Store‌ guidelines.

Amphetamine developer William Gustafson released a detailed report on GitHub a few days ago explaining that an Apple representative contacted him, saying Amphetamine would be removed from the Mac App Store on the 12th. January 2021, if a number of changes were not made to the application. The representative indicated that the amphetamine did not meet the following requirement:

Applications that promote the consumption of tobacco and vaping products, illegal drugs or excessive amounts of alcohol are not permitted on the “App Store”. Applications which encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. It is prohibited to facilitate the sale of marijuana, tobacco or controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies).

The Apple representative reportedly said, “Your app appears to promote inappropriate use of controlled substances. Specifically, your app’s name and icon include references to controlled substances, pills.”

Gustafson argued that amphetamine does not promote illegal drug use because amphetamine is a legal prescription drug in the United States. He also noted that “objectively speaking”, amphetamine does not encourage amphetamine use “in an irresponsible, illegal or recreational manner”.

Just like amphetamine (the organic compound) can be legally used to keep humans awake and alert, Amphetamine (the app) can be legally used to keep your Mac awake.

Gustafson filed an appeal and set up a Change.org petition that collected more than 500 signatures in an effort to fight the complaint against the app. And a short while ago, he announced on Twitter that he had finished a phone call with the App Review Board and that Amphetamine will remain on the “Mac App Store”.

Amphetamine was directly promoted by Apple in a Mac App Store story and has racked up over 1,400 reviews on the ‌Mac App Store‌, so it seems odd that the app isn’t being called to rebrand until now. Additionally, Gustafson said he had countless interactions with Apple and its app review team regarding amphetamine, but the issue had never been raised before, so it’s unclear what triggered it. the problem.