NEW YORK CITY — Some developers have warned that a number of vibe-coded apps could slow Apple App Store approval times. Apple said that while there have been some longer review times, 90% of submissions are reviewed within 48 hours, according to a spokesperson.

The number of iOS apps released in the U.S. grew 54.8% year-over-year in January after growing 56% in December, the highest rate in the past four years, according to Sensor Tower data. Since the mainstream release of agentic coding in 2025, the number of apps released monthly on Apple's App Store has increased, according to Sensor Tower data.

Over the last 12 weeks, the company said it has processed over 200,000 app submissions per week with an average review time of 1.5 days, a spokesperson said. Some developers have reported longer wait times for App Store approval.

James Steinberg, a 35-year-old vibe coder and cat sitter in New York City, said he has been waiting around six weeks to get his app live. Steinberg said he has been waiting between two days and one week to receive app updates.

Some Reddit users expressed concern that the App Store review process could become stricter to prevent vibe-coded apps and low-quality AI-generated apps from reaching consumers. Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said he expects Apple to err on the side of caution when approving apps for the App Store.

Chatterjee said a stricter approval process might frustrate developers but would mitigate low-quality AI-generated apps. "As AI accelerates app creation, Apple will need to evolve from artisanal gatekeeping to curation at scale," he said.

Apple's App Store has seen new app releases each month since 2025. The company said it is excited to see new developers submitting apps, a spokesperson said.