Hey everyone, today I want to talk about Apple’s performance over the last few months. I say performance because this is truly a show worth watching. All kinds of strange events, inconsistent behavior, interesting decisions… Let’s put it all on the table.
How Apple Blocked Vibe Coding Apps
March 2026. Apple blocks updates for vibe coding apps. The reason: “they violate the dynamic code execution ban.” Okay, security matters, we get it. Respect.
But wait a minute.
The same Apple allowed an app called Freecash to roam the App Store for months. This app was advertising on TikTok telling people “earn $35 per hour!” It went viral. It climbed to number two in the US App Store. What was it doing in the background? Harvesting user data. For months. Did Apple notice? It did, but only after the app hit number two.
Apple’s App Store Review Problem: A Developer’s Experience
I want to add something here. This is something a lot of people complain about, and something I personally experienced as a developer building apps for Apple.
The review process has turned into a complete dice roll. Depending on who the reviewer is and how they feel that day, the fate of your app is decided. I went through this with NeoTiler.
In my first review submission, they said “the app is requesting accessibility permission, explain why.” I explained it clearly, got approved, and we launched on the App Store. No problem.
For my second review submission, I had improved the app, fixed bugs, and added new features. I submitted the request. And then: rejected with “you cannot use accessibility permission.”
Same permission. Same explanation. Different reviewer. Different result.
So the summary is this: a vibe coding app cannot get updates, a data-harvesting app climbs to the top, and we developers sit here hoping whoever reviews our app is having a good day. Security standards are right where they should be.
But AI Agents Are Dangerous..
Yes, fair point, they can be. Some agents can delete all of a user’s emails and cause all kinds of chaos. Apple uses this to say “we are designing a system.”
Great.
So while designing that system, do you know what happened with the Grok app? It was generating deepfakes, creating non-consensual explicit images of women. What was Apple’s response? It sent a warning. Wrote a letter. Sent that letter to the Senate.
So the situation is this: if an AI agent deletes emails, we build a system. If it generates deepfakes, we write a letter. Priorities are crystal clear, thank you.
iOS 27, AI Agents and the “We Planned This All Along” Act
Now Apple comes out and says: in iOS 27, users will be able to choose between Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude. Siri is being redesigned. AI agents are getting space on the App Store. You can reach my detailed post about this here.
Wonderful.
Why are they doing this now?
Because ChatGPT launched 3.5 years ago (November 30, 2022). Claude entered the race 2.5 years ago. And Siri is still saying “Sorry, I can’t do that.” So this is not a vision, this is a rescue operation.
Bloomberg already wrote about this before: Apple lost the AI race a long time ago. Now they are reframing the narrative with “I am not competing, I am providing a platform.” It is a smart PR move, I will give them that.
The Relationship With Developers: Classic Apple
Apple goes to developers and says: “Integrate with Siri, book flights, send calendar invites, it will be great.”
Developers ask: “Will you take a commission?”
Apple says: “Not in the early stages.”
Not in the early stages. Not. In. The. Early. Stages.
Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent asked the same question and got the same answer. They all walked away from the table. I am shocked, are you shocked?
Vibe Coding Boom: The Irony Apple Created
This year, the number of apps released on the App Store went up 80 percent. Thanks to vibe coding tools, anyone can build an app without writing a single line of code, and everyone is doing it. The ecosystem is growing.
Do you remember when Apple was trying to block this exact trend? Yes, the very trend Apple tried to stop is now behind the App Store breaking records. Almost shot itself in the foot but swerved at the last second. Well done.
At this point Apple will probably drop the “we are not accepting vibe coding apps” stance, unless of course they prefer to keep contradicting themselves.
WWDC June 8: The Big Day
Apple will announce everything there. New Siri, the AI agent system, the Extensions feature. They will probably walk on stage and say “we planned this all along.” The audience will clap.
I will be watching too. Because watching an Apple presentation is like watching a good stand-up comedy show: the guy is making you laugh but never cracks a smile himself.
See you in June.
Veysel Okatan