Apple made vibe coding easier with Xcode integrations, which has allowed the App Store to grow faster than ever. However, it is cracking down on apps that use AI to generate unreviewable code inside the app.
Vibe coding isn't a bad thing on its face. It can help seasoned coders navigate through niche problems that lack documentation, or help bring a novice coder's idea to life. Apple uses the technology itself.
However, one vibe coding app, called Anything, was booted from the App Store entirely. According to a report from The Information, it isn't entirely clear why that app was kicked while others remained, but it appears related to section 2.5.2 of the developer guidelines that basically prevents apps from making other apps.
Apps that help with this code generation stopped getting updates late in 2025, but not because Apple was cracking down on vibe coding. Instead, Apple cited rules that prevent apps from changing code or operating outside of their bounds after App Review is complete.
It's one thing to use Xcode and associated tools to build an app, but another thing entirely for an app on iOS to build an app inside itself. Such a practice bypasses App Review and takes Apple out of the equation of app distribution entirely.
Developers will no doubt take their fight to regulators around the world, and it isn't clear which way this might go. On one hand, it is similar to game emulation, where regulators sided with users and forced Apple to allow the software regardless of internal policy.
The ease of access to vibe coding tools have also led to a flood of new app submissions. According to a report from Business Insider, the number of monthly app submissions to the App Store had risen by 56% by December 2025.
The sharp uptick in submissions is tied to the ease in which an untrained person can ask for code to make an app from a chatbot to plug into Xcode. With some back and forth, it doesn't take much to get a fully-working, if rudimentary, app.
It's a tricky tightrope to walk. Apple wants to promote vibe coding as an easy way to get from idea to functioning app, while it doesn't want this to occur outside of Xcode.
Apple welcomes the flood of new apps
Serious developers, whether new or seasoned, can use vibe coding for many understandable and useful reasons. These tools have lowered the barrier to entry for app development, which has also led to other potential issues in the App Store.
Apple still controls the App Store and the quality of what is approved
The issue is that because it is so simple to create a minimum-viable app, grifters are making dozens of apps to submit on a regular basis. They hope that if they flood the App Store with enough submissions, that even a few in-app purchases would make them a small fortune.
Then there's the other side of this problem. Some people across social media believe they'll be able to vibe code any utility they want into existence instead of paying for the real tool.
So, instead of downloading Widgetsmith, a user could potentially attempt to recreate the functionality they want in their app and use it instead.
Vibe coding may require Apple to change how it approaches App Review. It may have to lift the floor for a minimum-viable app similar to how it did when the App Store first launched and fart apps were banned.
App Review will also have to become more intelligent and prevent copycats from being submitted.
To be clear, Apple's stance on this so far seems to be pro vibe coding. It seemingly wants the flood of new app submissions, as each new app is a potential future income in commissions.
Many such tools are pivoting to the web, so users can simply go to Safari and ask a chatbot there for some code to insert into Xcode. Such coding methods also could lead to code-injection hacks and other issues due to the inexperience of many of the vibe coders.
Hopefully, at a minimum, Apple can prevent the App Store from devolving further into something like the PlayStation Network or Google Play Store. Both are filled with garbage submissions that prey on ignorant shoppers with slimy tactics.
For now, users and developers alike will need to be more vigilant than ever when searching for and downloading an app. Vibe coding isn't a bad thing, as it's used even internally at Apple, but it could lead to some unforeseen issues in the future.
