Cupertino, California-based computing giant Apple has released an update to its App Store Review Guidelines that potentially opens the doors for a change in its long-restrictive policies against bitcoin and other digital currencies.
The release follows Worldwide Developerâs Conference (WWDC 2014), an annual meetup of Apple developers that was expected to bring notable announcements for the companyâs customers and wider business community.
The update, made under the documentâs âpurchasing and currenciesâ section, reads:
âApps may facilitate transmission of approved virtual currencies provided that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions.â
Apple had garnered the ire of the wider bitcoin community as early as 2012 when it removed wallet apps Blockchain Wallet and BitPak. While Blockchainâs app was later reinstated, Apple returned late last year to abruptly pull major bitcoin wallet apps â such as Coinbase and the newer Blockchain â from its app store.
Encrypted instant message app Gliph once allowed bitcoins to be attached to messages, but developers were told by Apple it could only remain available if that feature was removed.
BitPak developer Rob Sama said an Apple representative had given the reason: âBecause that bitcoin thing is not legal in all jurisdictions for which BitPak is for saleâ. When he questioned what laws anywhere made bitcoin illegal, the rep responded âthat is up to you to figure outâ.
Although iOS users who installed the apps before the ban are still able to use them, no ability to update means theyâre often stuck with only basic functionality compared to their Android-using brethren. And should they lose or damage their device somehow, the app is gone for good.
The resulting embargo of any apps that allow for the transmission of bitcoins has been widely acknowledged by the bitcoin community as having a negative impact on adoption. Despite rivalsâ gains in recent years, Appleâs iOS still accounts for 65% of mobile web traffic in the lucrative North American market.
Blockchainâs app had been downloaded 120,000 times before Appleâs action. Earlier this year, that company and Gliph responded with blog posts critical of Appleâs lack of clarity on the issue.
Anti-Apple backlash perhaps hit a tipping point this February, when bitcoinâs fervent reddit community began publicly destroying Apple devices in a video campaign designed to bring awareness to the Appleâs actions.
Of course, in recent months bitcoin entrepreneurs and developers have simply become more covert in their use of Appleâs own policies in order to bring bitcoin-based services to the platform.
Bity and Cycle of Goodness (CoG) both launched wallets in the wake of Appleâs Blockchain ban to wide enthusiasm in the community, while browser-based alternatives have provided alternative relief.
Developers at Avalonic also produced a beta version of an entire unofficial bitcoin app store called âBit Storeâ, saying their use of Appleâs enterprise protocols was legally sound.
Most recently, Pheeva was about to offer its bitcoin wallet to iOS users by registering as a cooperative, meaning prospective users must first enroll in the companyâs community online before download.
While the cause of much enthusiasm from the community, ultimately more guidance may be required to determine whether or not bitcoin itself is an âapprovedâ digital currency.
In addition, Section 22.1 of Appleâs Review Guidelines has always contained this clause, under âLegal Requirementsâ:
âApps must comply with all legal requirements in any location where they are made available to users. It is the developerâs obligation to understand and conform to all local laws.â
As a company, Apple is notoriously tight-lipped about future development, and may have an as-yet-unrevealed product which applies to the policy change.
CoinDesk is still monitoring this developing story.
