Popular messaging service Telegram and sister app Telegram X have disappeared from the App Store today. Apple has taken the apps offline because they go against the company’s guidelines.
Update February 2: Telegram and Telegram X are now back in the App Store.
Update 1:05 PM: Apple has confirmed that they have removed Telegram Messenger from the App Store. The app would contain inappropriate material, which goes against Apple’s rules. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov shared the following statement on Twitter:
We were alerted by Apple that inappropriate content was being made available to users. As a result, both Telegram and Telegram X have been pulled from the App Store. As soon as we have taken the right measures, we expect the apps to return.
It is not clear exactly what conditions Telegram has violated. We will update this article when the app is back in the App Store.
Original message:
Telegram disappeared from App Store
This morning, Telegram’s iOS app suddenly disappeared from the App Store for no apparent reason. The messaging service, which is seen by many as a WhatsApp competitor, is still available in Google’s Play Store. In fact, the Mac app from Telegram can still be downloaded.
This suggests that it is not a conscious choice by Telegram to take the app offline from one moment to the next. The fact that the Telegram app has disappeared can have several causes. For example, Apple may have removed the app from the Store because it violates the rules.
On reddit a Telegram support representative would have confirmed that this was not a conscious decision. This suggests that Telegram should solve this with Apple.
If you already have Telegram on your iPhone or iPad, there’s nothing to worry about. You can continue to use the apps.
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