F.lux creators call Apple out for releasing Night Shift after banning their app

When Apple debuted the beta version of iOS 9.3 this week, it showed off a new feature called Night Shift, which reduces the blue light being emitted from your phone at night.

It works by analyzing your clock and geolocation to see if you’re in bed and should help you sleep better, given that the light from smart devices used before bed is thought to make it more difficult to nod off.

However, this is not a new feature or an Apple-original. F.lux first became available on iOS in 2015, having already found success among laptop and desktop users and did exactly what Apple’s Night Shift will do now.

But the company banned it almost immediately after it appeared. According to F.lux, Apple’s reason was that the app was in violation of its Developer Program Agreement.

Whatever Apple’s reasoning, with almost 200,000 visits to the app’s page in less than 24 hours, there was a clear indication it was something iOS users really wanted.

So when Apple announced its introduction of its own iteration this week, the creators of F.lux were quick to respond, calling on the company to allow their app into the iOS App Store and give open access to Night Shift’s API.

In the post, F.lux co-founder Michael Herf says he wants Apple to “support our goal of furthering research in sleep and chronobiology.”

We have reached out to Apple about the situation and will update this post when we hear back.

➤ Response to Apple’s announcement [F.lux]