An independent developer has reported that Apple terminated their Apple Developer Program membership and removed all associated apps from the App Store, citing dishonest or fraudulent activity. The developer received a termination notice stating that their account was flagged for using concept or functionality switches to evade the review process, including dynamically populating different app content after review, submitting apps with hidden features, repeatedly submitting misleading apps, or referencing content they were not authorized to provide.
Account flagged for review evasion
The notice, titled "Pending Termination," explained that after further review of the developer's account activity, Apple determined the membership was used for dishonest or fraudulent behavior, violating the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. As a result, all apps linked to the account were removed from the App Store, and the account was marked for removal. All earnings payments have been suspended, and app transfer functionality has been disabled.
New accounts also at risk
The developer was warned that creating new accounts after receiving this message could lead to termination of the new or associated accounts. Apple cited specific violations, including the use of concept or functionality switches to bypass the review process, submitting apps with hidden features, repeatedly submitting misleading apps, and including references to content the developer did not have rights to or that was unsuitable for the App Store. The developer has since sought help online, sharing the notice and asking for advice on how to proceed.