Apple Briefly Revokes Google's App Certificates Over Data Collection Violations
Apple temporarily blocks Google's internal iOS apps after discovering the misuse of enterprise certificates to distribute a data-collecting app outside the App Store. The tech giants quickly resolve the issue, restoring employee access to critical internal tools.
Apple temporarily blocks Google from distributing internal iOS apps after discovering the search giant abuses its enterprise certificates. A TechCrunch investigation reveals that Google uses a special certificate, meant strictly for employee tools, to distribute a consumer-facing data collection app called Screenwise Meter outside of the official App Store.
The sudden revocation immediately halts Google's internal operations by breaking early versions of Gmail, YouTube, Maps, and employee shuttle apps. This massive productivity loss prompts Google to apologize and admit that the research app should not have operated under Apple's developer enterprise program.
Apple and Google work together throughout the day to resolve the compliance issue, ultimately resulting in the swift restoration of Google's enterprise certificates. This disciplinary action mirrors a similar penalty Apple hands down to Facebook earlier in the week for using the exact same certificate loophole to pay teenagers for their web activity data.