Yahoo Finance Apple Does Not Want Cryptocurrency Mining On Its MacOS and iOS Devices
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has announced that it will no longer be allowing the use of its devices to mine digital currencies according to new review guidelines on the App Store.
The technology giant claims that the ban will be instituted across all of its devices including iOS and MacOS devices. However, the ban will not affect crypto mining done off-devices, especially cloud-based mining. Apple’s decision to ban the use of its devices for cryptocurrency mining is partly motivated by its plans to employ strict restrictions for apps that are power-intensive. The rationale is that such devices put a lot of strain on its devices and even cause overheating.
“Apps, including any third party advertisements displayed within them, may not run unrelated background processes, such as cryptocurrency mining,” stated Apple.
The process of mining cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) can be quite resource-intensive even on mining equipment. It is well known that the process consumes a lot of electricity and these are some of the reasons why Apple is concerned about the overall user experience. The tech giant stated in one of the clauses of the new guidelines that apps posted on the App Store should not put unnecessary strain on resources, drain the battery or generate a lot of heat.
Apple wants to promote proper use of its devices
Apple has been focusing a lot on preserving battery performance and that even got the company in trouble. A while ago it was reported that the tech giant was sacrificing performance to preserve battery life. Apple, however, seems to be waging war over cryptocurrency mining especially since this is not the first time that it has gone on the offensive against crypto mining apps. A few months ago, Apple pulled down an app called Calendar 2 from the Mac App Store because it was offering cryptocurrency mining services in exchange for premium features. The company also cited excessive heat and battery drain as one of the reasons why it banned the app.
The new guidelines for the App Store seem to be going for a complete ban on cryptocurrency apps on iOS devices. Despite the cryptocurrency mining ban, Apple will still allow cryptocurrency apps on the App Store although developers have to be registered as organizations.
Apple will also allow cryptocurrency that let users to make payments, receive payments or even trade digital currencies. However, such apps have to be owned by cryptocurrency exchanges. Apple also seems to be taking an approach that will protect investors. For example, one of the new guidelines states that Apple will only allow apps related to initial coin offerings (ICOs) on the App Store only if they belong to banks, financial institutions, and registered companies.
Cryptocurrency apps will also not be allowed to offer virtual coins to users in exchange for tasks such as downloading other apps. These moves seem to be aimed at preventing scammers from using Apple’s platforms to take advantage of unassuming users. As usual, Apple’s intent is to provide the best user experience to its customers and thus the need to address such issues.
This article was originally posted on FX Empire
