Apple blocks update to Gnosis Safe mobile wallet over NFT storage

Apple blocked the rollout of the new version of the mobile Ethereum wallet Gnosis Safe on its marketplace due to NFT storage support, according to Lucas Schor, the head of product at the blockchain startup.

Apple is blocking a release of our @gnosissafe mobile app because we display NFTs in it. After 2 weeks of back-and-forth, I felt that we need to talk publicly about this to raise awareness.

See the thread for details and why this might affect other wallets and apps as well. 👇

— Lukas Schor | Gnosis Safe (@SchorLukas) September 14, 2021

According to him, the NFT storage feature previously added did not raise concerns. The appearance in the new version of Bluetooth connectivity for Ledger Nano X to the app could have led Apple staff to treat Gnosis Safe’s capabilities more carefully.

“We have found that the app provides access to paid digital content, services or functionality in a way that differs from purchasing in-app, which is unacceptable for the App Store,” the company said.

In subsequent discussions, Schor was advised to remove the relevant capabilities to lift the block on the update.

“Apple does not permit apps, especially wallets, to display NFTs if they were not purchased in-app,” Apple explained.

In other words, users can buy NFTs in App Store apps, but they are not allowed to store tokens purchased on other platforms.

Further attempts to fix the situation did not succeed. The company stressed that NFT marketplaces and apps that allow storing NFTs are banned in the App Store.

Of course, we thought this was just a human issue. Maybe a junior reviewer made a mistake… So we tried explaining again. The answer: Apps that facilitate storage or marketplaces for NFTs are prohibited on the Apple App Store. pic.twitter.com/D7X8JVc0HR

— Lukas Schor | Gnosis Safe (@SchorLukas) September 14, 2021

Schor said he would appeal the decision and stressed that the Gnosis Safe issue exposed the dependence of Web 3.0 and NFT on monopolists like Apple.

We will submit an appeal to the App Review Board and hope that they will reinterpret their policy when it comes to NFTs and that this is not just the first sign of Apple cracking down on NFTs completely.

— Lukas Schor | Gnosis Safe (@SchorLukas) September 14, 2021

He said he hoped that the human factor had played a role. In discussions, the startup could make the necessary adjustments to its policy on digital-asset wallets, the specialist added.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to blame Apple and still think this is just a human issue. So I’d be happy to work with them to improve the guidelines when it comes to wallets. It needs to be 100% clear what is allowed and what is not.

— Lukas Schor | Gnosis Safe (@SchorLukas) September 14, 2021

Earlier, issues stemming from App Store policy non-compliance had surfaced with Coinbase and Trust Wallet.

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