The Potential of Apple Removing Apps from Your iPhone and the Case for Alternative App Stores
Recently, a lot of buzz has surrounded the possibility that Telegram could be removed from iPhones, which has raised concerns and speculation among users. This type of scenario has occurred in the past, with a range of apps—everything from banking apps to gaming apps—disappearing from the App Store. Apple has removed them in the past for various reasons, leading many to believe that it could happen again.
This raises an important point: why should there be a singular official app store on iPhones? Currently, there is a significant push from the European Union advocating for the allowance of alternative app stores on iOS. And honestly, there should be an option to sideload apps directly onto Apple devices, bypassing the App Store altogether. This would offer users more control and flexibility over their devices, ensuring that they aren’t left at the mercy of Apple’s decisions.
Why is Android Ahead of Apple in this Area?
When comparing Apple’s strict control to Android’s more open ecosystem, it’s easy to see why Android devices seem far more versatile. Android allows users to sideload apps or install them from third-party sources with ease—something Apple’s ecosystem doesn’t support out of the box. As the tech world continues to evolve, Apple’s reluctance to embrace this flexibility has put them behind their competitors.
Can Apple Really Remove Apps from Your Phone Without Your Consent?
Some users may find it hard to believe that Apple could remotely remove an app from their iPhone without their consent, especially since the company has never done so before. While it’s true that Apple hasn’t removed apps from individual iPhones, it has previously removed apps from the App Store. Looking back, even as early as the iPhone 3G (the second-generation iPhone) launched nearly 16 years ago, an interesting discovery was made.
An old URL on Apple’s website, which listed unwanted apps, is still active today. Interestingly, your iPhone still periodically “calls home” to this URL to check if any apps should be deleted. So, while Apple hasn’t actively removed apps from users’ phones, the possibility of this happening is still technically there.
The Misinformation Around App Deletion
Recently, social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter (now X) have seen viral posts instructing users on how to prevent Apple from deleting apps like Telegram. These posts suggest going into the Screen Time settings and turning off the ability to delete apps. While these instructions may seem legitimate, they’re far from it.
The reason why the setting is in Screen Time is that it’s a part of the parental controls feature on iOS. This feature allows you to restrict certain actions—such as deleting apps—on a child’s device, and it requires a password to make changes. However, this does not prevent Apple from deleting apps remotely from your device.
In short, while Apple could technically delete apps from your device, it has never done so, and these viral instructions do not offer any real protection from it.
The Bigger Picture: Why We Need More Freedom
While these rumors are interesting, the focus should be on the bigger issue at hand. Apple’s tight control over its ecosystem limits users’ freedom, and there should be room for alternatives. Allowing third-party app stores, enabling sideloading, and giving users the ability to manage their devices freely would be a significant step in the right direction.
Apple has always prided itself on providing a seamless user experience, but it’s important that this experience doesn’t come at the cost of personal freedom. The ability to choose which apps are on our devices, as well as how they are installed, should be a fundamental right of any smartphone user.
Let’s hope that the push for more flexibility on iOS continues to gain momentum, so that users can enjoy the same freedom and control that Android users have had for years.