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Apple Cracks Down on App Store Payment Tactics
22 Apr
Summary
- Cal AI app was briefly removed from the App Store.
- App violated rules on external payments and billing.
- Apple actively enforces App Store payment guidelines.

Apple has demonstrated its continued enforcement of App Store payment rules by briefly removing the MyFitnessPal-owned Cal AI food-logging app. The company stated that Cal AI violated multiple guidelines, including bypassing Apple's in-app purchase system and employing deceptive billing tactics.
These violations included using a third-party service to process payments, thus circumventing Apple's own in-app purchase option. Additionally, Cal AI was cited for a paywall design that misled users about actual billing amounts and obscured subscription auto-renewal details.
Further infractions involved manipulative tactics, such as presenting multiple subscription offers and receiving negative reviews accusing the app of being a scam. Following these actions, Cal AI addressed the identified issues, allowing its reinstatement to the App Store.