Lovable relaunches VibeCode on iPhone by bypassing App Store restrictions

Lovable launched an iPhone and Android app on April 28 that lets users create web apps from voice or text prompts. (techcrunch.com) The company said the mobile app is meant for starting projects on the go, then moving between phone and desktop as builds continue. It also sends notifications when a build is ready to review. (techcrunch.com) (macobserver.com) On iPhone, the key design choice is where the generated software runs. Lovable is pitching “working websites or web apps,” with previews moved out to the browser instead of executing changing code inside the App Store app. (techcrunch.com) (9to5mac.com) Apple’s recent enforcement has focused on Guideline 2.5.2, which says apps must be self-contained and may not download, install, or execute code that changes features or functionality after review. (developer.apple.com) (9to5mac.com) That rule hit several vibe-coding tools in March. Apple blocked updates to apps including Replit and Vibecode, and removed Anything from the App Store on March 26 before it later returned after changes. (techcrunch.com) (macrumors.com) Lovable’s approach leaves the iPhone app as a front end for prompts, notifications, and project handoff, while the generated project lives as a web product outside the reviewed binary. (macobserver.com) (9to5mac.com) The pricing is structured like Lovable’s existing service rather than a one-time mobile purchase. The iPhone app is free to download, with paid plans cited at $9.99 to $79.99 per month. (macobserver.com) (9to5mac.com) The result is a narrower promise than “build native iPhone apps on your iPhone.” Lovable is selling mobile access to an AI web-app builder, and Safari is doing part of the compliance work. (techcrunch.com) (developer.apple.com)