Cal AI removed from App Store

Apple briefly removed Cal AI from the App Store after finding deceptive billing design and other manipulative tactics, not just a web-payments dispute. (techcrunch.com) TechCrunch reported on April 21 that Apple said Cal AI violated multiple App Store rules, including bypassing Apple’s in-app purchase flow. Apple restored the app after changes, and Cal AI was back on the store by Monday. (techcrunch.com) Apple’s own review rules say apps, updates, and in-app purchases are screened before and after submission, and its payment guidelines still govern how subscriptions can be sold inside iPhone apps. Apple updated those guidelines last year to reflect a United States court decision on external links and buttons. (developer.apple.com 1) (developer.apple.com 2) That matters because some developers have treated recent court rulings as a green light to push users toward outside checkout pages. Apple’s explanation in the Cal AI case shows it is still drawing a line around billing design, even when external payment links are allowed in some circumstances. (techcrunch.com) (developer.apple.com) Cal AI is not a small experiment. MyFitnessPal announced on March 2 that it had acquired the app, which TechCrunch said had topped 15 million downloads and more than $30 million in annual revenue in under two years. (techcrunch.com) The app remains a major iPhone fitness product. Apple’s App Store listing shows more than 305,000 ratings and a 4.8-star average in the United States, and MacRumors reported it returned to the No. 4 spot in Health and Fitness after reinstatement. (apps.apple.com) (macrumors.com) MyFitnessPal and Cal AI did not comment to MacRumors on the removal. Public reporting on the episode has centered on Apple’s statement, not a detailed account from the app’s owner about what screens or prompts were changed. (macrumors.com) The immediate result is narrower than a ban and broader than a billing spat: Apple pulled a fast-growing AI app, forced revisions, and put it back. That leaves Cal AI on the store, but under the same review system Apple says applies to every app and in-app purchase. (techcrunch.com) (developer.apple.com)