Google is joining Facebook in iOS hell.
Apple has now revoked Google’s Enterprise Certificate, breaking all of the search engine’s internal apps, according to The Verge.
A source familiar with the situation informed the news outlet that pre-release beta versions of Google’s iOS apps have stopped working as of Thursday.
These apps include new builds of Gmail, Google Maps, and Hangouts. Apps meant for internal company use, such as the search engine’s cafe app and Gbus transportation app have also ceased working.
“We’re working with Apple to fix a temporary disruption to some of our corporate iOS apps, which we expect will be resolved soon,” said a Google spokesperson in a statement provided to Mashable.
On Tuesday, TechCrunchuncovered a Facebook Research VPN app that was being distributedto its users via Apple’s Enterprise Developer Program. The app tracked the mobile phone usage habits of those partaking in Facebook’s program. Apple’s own policies deem this use-case as a “breach of their agreement.”
“Any developer using their enterprise certificates to distribute apps to consumers will have their certificates revoked,” an Apple spokesperson told Mashable yesterday in reference to Facebook’s certificate revocation due to its own Research app.
SEE ALSO: Google also bends Apple's rules to 'research' user browsing habitsThis move by Apple reportedly caused chaos among Facebook employeeson Wednesday.
Just one day after its Facebook report, a TechCrunchinvestigation uncovered a similar research program under Google. The search engine was utilizing its own VPN iOS app also being distributed to Google’s users through Apple’s Enterprise Developer Program.
Google’s ScreenWise Meter app was a little different from Facebook’s app. Unlike the social network, Google openly branded the app as one of its products. The search engine also recruited participants on its own, clearly as a Google program. Facebook had signed up test subjects through third party beta testing services. Regardless, both apps ran afoul of Apple’s policies.
Mashable has reached out to Apple for comment on the entire situation and will update this story when we hear back.
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