Apple Rejecting Coronavirus Apps Not From Health or Government Organizations
Apple is rejecting apps that are related to the COVID-19 coronavirus that aren't provided by health organizations or government institutions, according to CNBC
Four independent developers that spoke to CNBC said that their coronavirus apps, which were designed to let people see stats about which countries have confirmed cases, had been rejected.
One developer was told over the phone by an Apple employee that anything related to the coronavirus needs to be released by an official health organization or government, while another received a notice that "apps with information about current medical information need to be submitted by a recognized institution."
Apple has been evaluating and rejecting coronavirus apps to prevent the spread of misinformation, looking at where the health data is sourced from and whether developers represent organizations that users can trust to publish accurate data.
Searches for coronavirus and COVID-19 on the App Store bring up few results, including a COVID-19 virus tracker from Healthlynked that uses World Health Organization data, the Epoch Times, and an app from the Brazilian government.
Other tech companies have taken similar steps to prevent the spread of misinformation. Facebook and Twitter have banned misleading coronavirus-related ads, and Amazon has banned coronavirus products and sellers attempting to price gouge on items like face masks and hand sanitizer.
Google also has a policy against apps that capitalize on a natural disaster or profit from a tragic event and there are no apps related to the coronavirus available from Google Play in the United States.
Popular Stories
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
