Apple's recent removal of Cal AI, a popular AI-based food tracking app under MyFitnessPal, once again highlights its strict enforcement of App Store policies regarding external payments and subscriptions. Previously, the app, which generates $50 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), was briefly taken down for violating multiple developer guidelines, but has since been re-uploaded after addressing the issues.
Reports indicate that although the ruling in the Epic Games vs. Apple case allows U.S. developers to link to external payment systems, Apple clearly stated that Cal AI had significant compliance deviations. The core violation involved the app attempting to bypass Apple's in-app purchase (IAP) mechanism by embedding a third-party payment process through Stripe to unlock digital content, without offering the IAP option as required. Additionally, Apple accused it of having "deceptive billing design," such as using larger font sizes to highlight weekly conversion prices to confuse actual billing amounts, and misleading consumers with hidden auto-renewal information on free trial switches.
In terms of developer behavior guidelines, Cal AI also faced criticism for using "manipulative methods," including pushing secondary purchase processes to users who declined subscriptions, and facing numerous user complaints due to the presentation of payment options potentially constituting fraud. Although Cal AI, as a health application, does not fall under the "reader" category that is exempt from IAP, its previous actions that appeared to test regulatory boundaries were met with a firm response from Apple.
This incident serves as a warning to developers worldwide: even if legal rulings have eased payment restrictions, Apple still maintains a high level of control over its ecosystem. By taking action against an app ranked fourth in the health and fitness charts, Apple sends a clear market signal — any attempts to exploit policy loopholes for manipulative billing or undermining the integrity of IAP will face strict scrutiny.
