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Apple Blocks App Update Over Missing Feature
29 Mar
Summary
- AppGrid update blocked by Apple for resembling removed Launchpad feature.
- Launchpad was removed from macOS in September, replaced by a simpler app.
- Apple cites similarity to a non-existent feature, blocking app updates.
Apple has blocked updates for the App Store application AppGrid, citing its resemblance to the now-removed Launchpad feature. The developer of AppGrid, Attila Miklósi, was informed by Apple that the app too closely mimics Launchpad, a feature that no longer exists in the latest macOS versions.
Launchpad was a distinct app grid interface introduced in 2011 with Mac OS X Lion. It allowed users to organize and view all installed applications in a pop-up grid. However, Apple discontinued Launchpad with the release of macOS Tahoe last September. It was replaced by a new application simply called 'Apps,' which presents installed applications in an alphabetical list without custom sorting or a fully functional search.
Many Mac users expressed dissatisfaction with the removal of Launchpad. Third-party developers, including AppGrid's creator, stepped in to offer alternative solutions. Despite its presence and ongoing sales on the App Store, AppGrid's updates have been halted since November 2025 due to Apple's policy against apps being 'confusingly similar to an existing Apple product or interface.' Miklósi is hesitant to alter AppGrid's appearance, as thousands of users have already purchased the current version.
