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Apple Removes HiddenApp That Could Hide Native Apps And iAds Without Jailbreak

Binu Paul email: b.paul@mobilenapps.com

Here is an update to an iOS related news that appears to have been of great interest to iPhone/iPad users. Apple has quickly removed an app by name HiddenApp from its App Store. HiddenApp was apparently an answer to those owners of iDevices who wants to hide apps that Apple doesn't let them delete, without needing to jailbreak their devices.

There are many default Apple apps that iOS users would never use; however, there was no option for non-jailbroken devices to hide them. Jailbreak users were able to hide these apps through tweaks. Apple, known for its strict norms on screening apps, had allowed HideApp for some reason and with this, users were able to hide any built-in iOS apps that they would not like to see on the home screen such as Weather, Stocks, Newsstand and Passbook. HiddenApp could also disable iAds and enter a Field Test mode that displays cellular strength numerically rather than as signal bars.

When a user launches HiddenApp, he is welcomed by a launch screen displaying a basic list of the app's features such as 'Hide Apps,' 'Disable all iAds,' 'iOS Diagnostics' and "Field Test' activation. If the user chooses to select 'Hide Apps', he is offered a slew of built-in titles that can be hidden including Calendar, Stocks, Passbook, Compass, Maps and more.

The process of hiding an app is quite interesting. As you click on an app, HiddenApp will attempt to install a different app over-the-air. The first installation attempt intentionally fails and as you delete the failed installation, the app is effectively hidden from the view. You can reinstate the hidden apps by rebooting or respringing the device.

However, these changes are not foolproof and as 9to5mac notes, "Rebooting (or respringing if you're jailbroken) will cause the changes to reverse themselves. iAds will show up again, hidden apps will reappear, and the numeric signal strength indicator will go back to being a set of five bars. If that happens, you just need to redo the changes in HiddenApp."

HiddenApp was available as a free 5.4MB download from the App Store; however, due to the very nature of the app, it was speculated that Apple would pull the plug on it and so it happened - the app is no longer available on the App Store.

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