Sticker App 'Phoneys' Nixed by Apple for Mimicking Messages Chat Bubble Design

Over the past week, a sticker pack that mimics the design of the iconic bubbles in the Messages app has rocketed to the top of the Messages App Store charts, but its popularity will be short-lived as Apple is going to pull it from the App Store.

Phoneys, currently the number two paid app in the Messages App Store in the United States, features chat bubble stickers that you can place over real messages, making it look like friends and family have said humorous things they didn't actually say. Examples include "You're my hero," "The sports team I pull for sucks," and "My political views are totally wrong."

phoneys
Given the popularity of Phoneys, it has, unsurprisingly, attracted Apple's attention, and the Cupertino company has taken issue with the app. In a phone call, an Apple employee told Phoneys developer Adam Howell that his sticker pack can't use the San Francisco font and it can't emulate the look of Messages chat bubbles. Furthermore, Apple said "prank" apps are not allowed in the App Store.

Apple's lawyers weren't happy that Phoneys got through the review process. The stickers couldn't be blue or green, they couldn't use San Francisco as the typeface, and the app could no longer be marketed as a "prank" app, because Apple doesn't approve prank apps (even though I myself had never used the word "prank" when marketing Phoneys, others did, and I certainly understood where he was coming from).

Apple is not pulling the app from the App Store immediately, but has given Howell a week to change the look of the app so that the text bubbles no longer resemble Messages chat bubbles. He's been asked to change them to "comic book cartoon bubbles," and if that doesn't happen, Phoneys will be removed by Apple.

Howell has not yet decided whether he'll leave the app as is for the people who already purchased it or if he'll update it with a new look as instructed by Apple so that he can continue providing updates and new content going forward.

Phoneys continues to be available from the App Store in its current incarnation for $0.99 [Direct Link], but potential buyers should know that it's either never going to see another update or it'll be updated to look significantly different.

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's Upcoming Macs Listed in New Report

Thursday July 3, 2025 9:09 am PDT by
AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic today shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, which should roll out over the next year or so. The report does not reveal anything too surprising, but it does serve as further evidence that Apple is seemingly working on new models of every Mac, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Apple is...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...

Top Rated Comments

djcerla Avatar
114 months ago
That's the right thing.

This app could, and would, end up used very maliciously.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reden Avatar
114 months ago
Apple: Lets allow people to have fun with our Messages app! Okay, not that much fun.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nunyabinez Avatar
114 months ago
Is #apple really taking ownership of a shape and a color?
For use on THEIR platform. Why yes they are and can.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
31 Flavas Avatar
114 months ago
Is #apple really taking ownership of a shape and a color?
Because there is no way this app could possibly cause problems. It clearly must be because Apple is defending their invention of the color blue and green and the chat bubble shape.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
114 months ago
Is #apple really taking ownership of a shape and a color?
While it's entertaining to think about, that's not the point, is it? This is about degrading the user experience through deceptive "stickers". Makes perfect sense why Apple would disapprove of that, and you would, too, if you were in Apple's shoes.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pwhitehead Avatar
114 months ago
Is #apple really taking ownership of a shape and a color?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)