Apple changes its mind again, will allow calculator widgets in Notification Center after all

yes no buttons

Yes. No. YES!

These three words sum up the situation of PCalc, a powerful calculator app that features a Notification Center widget, whose developer was asked by Apple yesterday to remove as it apparently wasn’t in line with App Store rules.

Today, it appears that Apple has changed its mind (again), as TechCrunch reports that they’ve been “hearing that Apple is changing its course. The PCalc app and widget will remain in the App Store, and all calculator-type widgets will be allowed as well, an Apple spokesperson has confirmed to us.”

So what gives?

The situation is a bit confusing, and if anything, it seems that the various departments involved in the App Store at Apple didn’t communicate as well as they should have.

After being featured as one of the “Great Apps and Games for iOS 8” curated by Apple in the App Store, the news felt a bit weird when it fell yesterday. Why would Apple reject an app that it handpicked as one of the flagship iOS 8 apps? We might never have the answer to this question but it’s not hard to imagine that too many levels of people involved with the App Store, with different understanding of Apple’s sometimes blurry rules contributed to this confusion. What might have started at the reviewer level was probably escalated to management as the controversy started yesterday.

But everything is back in order in the App Store. You’ll still be able to enjoy PCalc and the various other options you have to add a calculator widget in Notification Center.