Just like it did to Facebook, Apple has suspended Google employees' ability to run internal iOS apps
- On Thursday, Apple decided to revoke Google's ability to run internal iOS apps, despite the search giant apologizing yesterday for violating Apple's terms and revoking the app in question.
- Google has been running an app called Screenwise Meter since 2012, which allows users to earn gift cards if they offered up access to their traffic and data to the search giant.
- Screenwise Meter, however, violated Apple's developer enterprise program which was reserved for company employees only.
- As The Verge reported on Thursday, Apple's decision has caused pre-released apps like Google Maps, Hangouts, and Gmail, as well as other internal apps, like the Gbus transportation app, to stop working.
What goes for Facebook, goes for Google.
On Thursday, Apple revoked Google's ability to run internal iOS apps, leaving Google employees unable to access tools necessary to do their jobs, according to a report in The Verge. The move was meant as a punishment for Google's use of a data-collecting app in violation of Apple's rules and came one day after Apple imposed similar consequences for employee at Facebook.
Google has been running an app called Screenwise Meter since 2012, which allows users to earn gift cards if they offered up access to their traffic and data to the search giant.
Read more: Google is disabling its app that lets users earn gift cards in exchange for their data
The app, however, could only be downloaded in a way that Apple had specified could be used by company employees only, like beta or internal tool apps. Google apologized for violating Apple's terms of service on Wednesday and pulled the plug on the app, after reports of the app's existence surfaced.
But apparently the apology was not enough.
As The Verge reported on Thursday, Apple's decision has caused pre-released versions of Google Maps, Hangouts, Gmail, and more to stop working for employees. An internal app for Gbus transportation and the company's cafe app have also been shut down.
Apple's decision is consistent with its treatment of Facebook, which also violated Apple's policy in order to distribute an app to users meant to collect their data.
At the time of the Facebook decision, Apple had said, "any developer using their enterprise certificates to distribute apps to consumers will have their certificates revoked."
It appears Apple has not backed down from that statement.
Neither Apple nor Google immediately responded to Business Insider's request for comment.