Developer Removes FlickType Keyboard on iPhone After Questionable App Review Rejection

But there’s much more to the app on the iPhone. Made for just blind or limited vision users, it offers VoiceOver feedback to speak back what was pressed on the keyboard. The app uses algorithms to predict the intended word. That allows users to type quickly and not worry about hitting the correct key every time.

The iOS keyboard was lauded by organizations like the American Foundation for the Blind and National Federation of the Blind. It’s also been featured by Apple.

But developer Kosta Eleftheriou announced today on Twitter that he is discontinuing the iPhone keyboard due to a questionable rejection from Apple’s App Store review.

Last week Eleftheriou submitted an update with no new features, just fixes and improvements for the iPhone keyboard. But it was reject by Apple for saying that the keyboard extension doesn’t work without “full access.” That was something that the app was rejected for three years ago, but Eleftheriou successfully appealed and overturned that decision. But not this time.

He discussed more in the Twitter thread:

We tried reaching out to Apple a total of 9 times last week, with no success. At this point they seem to be ignoring our attempts to contact them directly, despite previously explicitly telling us to “feel free” to contact them if we need “further clarification”.

Our rejection history already spans more than FOURTY pages filled with repeated, unwarranted, & unreasonable rejections that serve to frustrate & delay rather than benefit end-users. And dealing with App Review isn’t just time-consuming. It’s also very emotionally draining.

Eleftheriou has taken upon himself to expose a host of App Store scams, some raking in millions. He has also filed suit against Apple earlier this year, claiming Apple has abused its monopoly power.

While the Apple Watch app will remain, the iPhone keyboard will be removed.

In a Twitter DM, Eleftheriou couldn’t say whether his lawsuit and outspokenness on App Store practices played any part in the rejection.

“I can only speculate about this rejection, but I’ve recently had many more rejections I haven’t talked about yet, and them ignoring my attempts to reach them is also new,” he told AppAdvice. “so I can’t really know, but definitely feels like some kind of “special” treatment going on.”