Telegram briefly disappeared from Apple App Store search results worldwide, leaving users confused and sparking a wave of online speculation. The messaging platform was later restored, but Apple has not provided a reason for the temporary removal.
The app's dedicated App Store page later returned. However, direct search results reportedly remained inconsistent for some users.
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Did the Epstein tweet cause the removal?
The removal came shortly after a viral post from Telegram's official X account that joked, “crazy that we're gonna get GTA 6 before the full Epstein files.” The timing led some users online to speculate that the post may have been connected to the App Store disappearance.
The message quickly spread across X, attracting thousands of reactions and comments. Soon afterwards, some users suggested that Apple's App Store action was retaliation for the post.
{{/usCountry}}The message quickly spread across X, attracting thousands of reactions and comments. Soon afterwards, some users suggested that Apple's App Store action was retaliation for the post.
{{/usCountry}}One user commented, "This tweet got you removed from the Apple App Store."
Another wrote, "What are the odds? Telegram posts about the Epstein files... then gets pulled from the App Store. I'm sure the timing means absolutely nothing."
A third user added, "This is why they took you off the App Store, man."
Another user wrote, “Epstein attacks again.”
A sports videographer, Andrew Mason, mimicked Telegram's original post and wrote, “crazy that you tweeted this and then got removed from the App Store.”
However, these claims remain unverified social media speculation. The reason behind Telegram's temporary removal from the App Store is still unclear.
What happened to Telegram on the App Store?
According to Anadolu Agency, Telegram disappeared from Apple App Store search results worldwide during the disruption. The app's dedicated App Store page later returned. However, direct search results remained inconsistent for some users even after Telegram confirmed restoration.
Apple did not explain why the application disappeared. Telegram founder Pavel Durov likewise did not comment publicly on the brief removal.
The application continued to be available on Google's Play Store throughout the incident, meaning Android users were unaffected.
This is not the first time Telegram has faced App Store issues.
In 2018, Apple temporarily removed Telegram from the App Store. At the time, Pavel Durov said the removal followed concerns that "inappropriate content" had been made available through the platform. Apple later restored the application after the issue was addressed