TV Time points to Apple’s ‘significant power’ over devolpers after being removed from App Store

TV Time, a popular TV and movie tracking and recommendations app with more than 30 million registered users, disappeared from Apple’s App Store for several weeks, leading to questions about its future from the app’s avid fan base. Considering that 2.5 million users use the app every month to track what they’re watching and to engage in a social network where they can comment on individual episodes, vote for favorite characters, post images and GIFs, and connect with other users, its disappearance didn’t go unnoticed.

On November 1, the company announced via a post on X that it was aware the app had been removed from the App Store and that it was “working with Apple to get it back ASAP.” It offered no other details as to what may have caused the app to be pulled or how soon it could return. Users continually reply to that post in hopes of an update, but unfortunately for TV Time fans, several weeks passed without a resolution.

After TechCrunch reached out to TV Time and Apple about the app’s removal, the app was reinstated on the App Store.

TV Time has long been operated by entertainment analytics platform Whip Media Group following its acquisition in 2016 of the French startup, formerly known as TVShow Time. Similar to other services like Reelgood or JustWatch, the app can direct users to where a show or movie can be streamed and can suggest other series you might like, based on your viewing activity.

During the time of its removal, existing iOS users were still able to access the app on their devices, but anyone trying to install TV Time on a new iPhone or iPad would have been out of luck. In addition, the App Store removal meant TV Time was no longer able to issue updates to its app to its current user base.

TechCrunch reached out to the company to find out why the app was pulled.

According to Whip Media Chief Marketing Officer Jerry Inman, the dispute with Apple had to do with the mishandling of a routine intellectual property (IP) complaint. TV Time users had uploaded some TV and film cover art to the app, leading a company to claim copyrights over the app and issue a takedown notice via the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). While TV Time complies with the DMCA, it asked the complainant to provide proof of ownership — like a copyright registration — which it was unable to do. Despite the lack of evidence, TV Time says it still removed the images from both the TV Time platform and its metadata platform, TheTVDB.

However, the complainant also demanded a financial settlement not consistent with the DMCA so Whip Media did not agree to pay, Inman claims.

“Despite Whip Media having complied with the DMCA and explaining that to Apple, the complainant notified Apple that its claim was ‘unresolved,’ and Apple decided to remove TV Time from the App Store,” he says. The company has since resolved the matter with the complainant. As of the time of writing, the TV Time app was in the process of returning to the App store.

However, Inman warns this is another case where Apple had too much power over the companies doing business on its App Store platform.

“Apple holds significant power over app developers by controlling access to a massive market and, in this case, seems to have acted on a complaint without requiring robust evidence from the complainant,” Inman shared with TechCrunch.

Apple was asked for comment and did not respond.

While TV Time was missing from the App Store, fans could use the app on Android and the web at app.tvtime.com. According to data from app intelligence firm Appfigures, TV Time has seen 7.4 million installs on iOS to date since Appfigures’ tracking system began, on Jan. 1, 2017. (The app itself first launched in 2012).