FlickType is discontinuing its keyboard app due to ‘abuse’ from Apple
What you need to know
FlickType is discontinuing its award-winning keyboard app for the iPhone and Apple Watch.
The company says that continued issues with the App Store review process led to the decision.
The App Store review process killed their app, the developer says.
Another developer is airing their grievance against Apple’s App Store.
Earlier today, FlickType, an award-winning keyboard app for the iPhone and Apple Watch, announced that it was discontinuing the app due to Apple’s “abuse.”
“It’s with a heavy heart today that we’re announcing the discontinuation of our award-winning iPhone keyboard for blind users.
Apple has thrown us obstacle after obstacle for years while we try to provide an app to improve people’s lives, and we can no longer endure their abuse.”
It’s with a heavy heart today that we’re announcing the discontinuation of our award-winning iPhone keyboard for blind users.
Apple has thrown us obstacle after obstacle for years while we try to provide an app to improve people’s lives, and we can no longer endure their abuse. pic.twitter.com/cH1HCQzeP1
— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021
The developer said that a recent update, which helped improve the user experience with iOS 15, was rejected. They went on to say that they reached out to Apple at least nine times to resolve the issue but never heard back.
But Apple rejected it. They incorrectly argue again that our keyboard extension doesn’t work without “full access”, something they rejected us for THREE years ago. Back then we successfully appealed and overturned their decision, and this hadn’t been a problem since. Until now.
— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021
The company has already filed a lawsuit against Apple for the issues it has come across with its app, including “denying us access to our customers through the App Store for months.”
We’ve already filed a lawsuit against Apple, in part for denying us access to our customers through the App Store for months. We’ve also exposed many scam apps that have cost users and our business millions of dollars, while Apple ignored our complaints:https://t.co/YdGe9iChgS pic.twitter.com/4POKYIJA0K
— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021
Apple’s relationship with some developers has been very trying lately. The company is already locked in a lawsuit with Epic Games, which argues that the company exerts monopolistic power over the App Store.
