Apple Blocks App Store Updates for Mac App Replacing Discontinued Launchpad
▼ Summary
– Apple is preventing AppGrid from updating its App Store app.
– The block is due to AppGrid’s resemblance to the discontinued Launchpad feature.
– Launchpad was a recent Apple feature that has now been discontinued.
– The action specifically targets new updates, not the existing app listing.
– The core issue is Apple enforcing a policy against apps that mimic its own retired software.
Apple has taken action against a third-party Mac application attempting to fill a void left by its own software. The company is currently preventing updates to AppGrid on the Mac App Store, citing its similarity to the now-discontinued Launchpad feature. This move highlights Apple’s tight control over its ecosystem, even when removing native functionality.
Developers behind AppGrid designed it as a direct replacement for Launchpad, which Apple removed from macOS earlier this year. The app provides a familiar, full-screen grid view for launching applications, a workflow many users relied on. After submitting a routine update, the developers received a rejection notice from Apple’s App Review team. The stated reason was that AppGrid “duplicates the functionality” of the deprecated Launchpad, which Apple considers a violation of App Store guidelines regarding copied features.
This rejection creates a significant dilemma for both developers and users. When Apple phases out a built-in system tool, it often creates market demand for alternatives. However, the company’s guidelines can then be used to block those very alternatives from its official storefront. For the developers, this stifles innovation and penalizes them for responding to user needs. For customers, it limits choice and can disrupt established workflows, forcing them to seek out less convenient or secure installation methods outside the App Store.
The situation underscores a broader tension within Apple’s walled-garden approach. The company justifies strict curation to ensure security, quality, and a cohesive user experience. Yet, cases like this reveal how those rules can also be applied to prevent competition, even for features Apple itself no longer supports. It places developers in a difficult position, unsure whether solving a user problem created by an Apple decision will result in their app being blocked.
As of now, the existing version of AppGrid remains available for download, but its future is uncertain without the ability to issue bug fixes or compatibility updates for new macOS versions. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for developers considering utilities that interact closely with or replace legacy Apple interfaces. Ultimately, Apple’s control over its Mac App Store distribution remains absolute, leaving little recourse when an app falls afoul of guidelines that the company interprets and enforces unilaterally.
(Source: 9to5Mac)
