Apple reinstates Facebook and Google Developer Certificates, restores the ability to run internal iOS apps

Two days ago Apple revoked Facebook’s Developer Certificate that barred Facebook employees from using the early versions of Facebook apps such as Instagram and Messenger, and other day-to-day activities on their iPhones. However, yesterday Apple announced that it has restored Facebook’s enterprise certificates.

A Facebook spokesperson told The Verge, “We have had our Enterprise Certification, which enables our internal employee applications, restored. We are in the process of getting our internal apps up and running. To be clear, this didn’t have an impact on our consumer-facing services.”

Apple also blocked Google’s developer certificates after it got to know of a similar data-collection drill via Google’s Screenwise Meter app. Early versions of Google Maps, Hangouts, Gmail, and other pre-release beta apps stopped functioning. Also, employee-only apps such as the Gbus app for transportation and Google’s internal cafe app stopped working..

However, the Google services and apps were restored later yesterday. Google also announced that it had disabled the app a day before their certificates were blocked.

Prior to revoking Facebook’s Developer Certificates, Apple had warned in a statement, “any developer using their enterprise certificates to distribute apps to consumers will have their certificates revoked.”

Alex Fajkowski, an iOS developer, discovered that other companies including Amazon, DoorDash, and Sonos all distribute beta versions of their apps to non-employees. Following this, “Apple may be forced to take action against these apps, or to even revamp its entire enterprise program in the future”, The Verge reports.

https://twitter.com/thefaj/status/1091087789704105984

Read more about this news on The Verge.