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Apple has started actively taking down apps that work with Pebble’s smartwatch, boding poorly for the future of Pebble’s system if iOS users are... Apple Starts Actively Rejecting Pebble Apps On iOS Store

Apple has started actively taking down apps that work with Pebble’s smartwatch, boding poorly for the future of Pebble’s system if iOS users are incapable of downloading apps for their smartwatch.

pebble smartwatch

SeaNav US was the first to bring up the situation, claiming its recent app update was rejected due to having ‘Pebble’ in the description; a term Apple will now venomously remove from the iOS App Store. The company received this notice:

“We noticed that your app or its metadata contains irrelevant platform information in the app. Providing future platform compatibility plans, or other platform references, is not appropriate for the App Store.

Specifically, your app and app description declare support for the Pebble Smartwatch.”

This isn’t exactly a new move by Apple, it has blocked apps that mention Android or Windows Phone support before and regularly makes sure its platform is filtered to not include rival platform support.

The major issue isn’t that the platform support has been detailed, it is that Apple seems to be removing apps that in any way work with Pebble. Unlike Android and Windows, Pebble has no platform for mobile phone users, meaning it will either have to create a workaround for iOS or skip that part entirely.

Moving to its own App Store for download might be a smart move, but Pebble’s own app might be in trouble if it ever comes time to update the platform.

It also looks like apps like Android Wear for iOS might have a hard time getting on the platform, with Apple not wanting iOS customers to be buying third-party smartwatches.

Apple Watch is showing strong early performance with two million pre-orders so far, and the company is aiming for 20 million sales in 2015.