FlickType iPhone Keyboard for the Blind Shutting Down, Developer Shares Highly Charged Twitter Thread

FlickType, the iOS keyboard app for the visually impaired is shutting down, its developer announced on Twitter. In a thread on the microblogging platform, developer Kosta Eleftheriou announced that he is forced by circumstances to discontinue the iPhone keyboard functionality of the app. He wrote that his decision comes after several "unreasonable" rejections from Apple's App Store against an updated version of the app. He wrote, "Apple has thrown us obstacle after obstacle for years while we try to provide an app to improve people's lives, and we can no longer endure their abuse."

This wasn't the first time that the App Store forcibly tried to reject the app. Apple "incorrectly" argued against the app three years ago. "Back then we successfully appealed and overturned their decision, and this hadn't been a problem since. Until now," read the Twitter thread. The developer also added that their rejection history spanned "more than forty pages filled with repeated, unwarranted, and unreasonable rejections."

It's with a heavy heart today that we're announcing the discontinuation of our award-winning iPhone keyboard for blind users.

Apple has thrown us obstacle after obstacle for years while we try to provide an app to improve people's lives, and we can no longer endure their abuse. pic.twitter.com/cH1HCQzeP1

— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021

But Apple rejected it. They incorrectly argue again that our keyboard extension doesn't work without "full access", something they rejected us for THREE years ago. Back then we successfully appealed and overturned their decision, and this hadn't been a problem since. Until now.

— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021

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.

— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021

The FlickType developer team have filed a lawsuit against Apple. They also exposed many paid scam apps on the App Store. Eleftheriou has been causing a dent in Apple's image for quite some time by exposing paid scam apps in the App Store, realign secret gambling dens and review frauds.

We've already filed a lawsuit against Apple, in part for denying us access to our customers through the App Store for months. We've also exposed many scam apps that have cost users and our business millions of dollars, while Apple ignored our complaints:https://t.co/YdGe9iChgS pic.twitter.com/4POKYIJA0K

— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021

The tweets request its users to stop auto-update of apps to retain the FlickType keyboard on iPhone. Meanwhile, the FlickType app on Apple Watch will remain functional.

We wish to keep providing the last working version that includes the keyboard extension, but Apple makes it impossible to stop automatic updates for individual apps. So unless you stop automatic updates for all your apps, you will soon lose the FlickType keyboard extension.

— FlickType Watch Keyboard (@FlickType) August 16, 2021

Twitter users have lashed out at Apple. A user (@gauravjj_1) wrote, "This is terrible. My iPhone will pretty much become useless to me without FlickType keyboard."

This is terrible.
My iPhone will pretty much become useless to me without flick type keyboard.

Is the app available on android?

— Gaurav Jhunjhnuwala (@gauravjj_1) August 16, 2021

Another wrote with a heavy heart, "This is incredibly sad to hear. I've been using FlickType daily for English at least and found it the best experience."

This is incredibly sad to hear. I've been using flicktype daily for English at least and found it the best experience, between the stock keyboard's auto correct not being as good, slide typing being slower and BSI needing both hands to operate and my fingers drifting

— Piotr Machacz (@pitermach) August 16, 2021

This user said how Apple continues to treat developers with hostility and "it certainly feels like in some cases it's more and more unpleasant to work in this ecosystem."

Unfortunately @Apple has long demonstrated that developers are practically third class citizens, and as good as some of their tools are - it certainly feels like in some cases it's more and more unpleasant to work in this ecosystem.

— Alexei (@vega_1_4) August 17, 2021

Last year, Fortnite makers Epic Games had also filed a lawsuit against Apple's monopolised strategies on App Store.