Surprising App Store Updates Directly From Apple
iOS users report app updates directly from Apple, not developers. Reasons and affected app types are currently unclear, sparking speculation.
"Update from Apple": Nobody knows why.
(Image: Screenshot iOS 26.4)
Recently, iOS users have received updates for apps that apparently did not originate from the respective developers. According to the accompanying notes, Apple itself is responsible for the updates. The reasons for this and which types of apps are affected could not be determined at first.
“Functionality improved”
Such updates are recognizable by the note in the first sentence of the new features that it is an “Update from Apple” that improves “the functionality of this app.” It further states that there are no new functions. Applications across the entire App Store offering were affected, from games like “Candy Crush Soda Saga” or “Catan Universe” to apps from airlines like Transavia. These were not always programs that were particularly old. Apple has apparently not retroactively exchanged certificates or similar components to ensure continued functionality – although this cannot be entirely ruled out. In some cases, the affected programs had only received updates a week ago.
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The version number increases in each case. In forums, it was speculated that the updates were made due to the end of LLVM bitcode in App Store programs. Others suggested that Apple might have made changes due to the use of outdated APIs. However, these are both things for which developers are ultimately responsible: They would receive a notification from the App Store review team to resolve such problems. It remains surprising why Apple itself is taking the path of direct intervention.
Apple has full power in the App Store
The incident shows who is in charge in the App Store: Apple. The iPhone company decides which applications are allowed, which payment methods they may contain, and whether certain forms of links are permitted. The company can also intervene in the code delivered to users at any time.
Reports of the updates come from many parts of the world, so it is not just the American App Store that is affected. Most recently, Apple introduced new iPhone age controls in several countries, which the company was legally obliged to do.
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