Apple removed the familiar Launchpad tool in the recent macOS Tahoe update. Many Mac users missed the feature and looked for alternatives to quickly view and organize their software. Developer Attila Miklosi created a popular tool called AppGrid to fill that exact void. It brought back the classic icon layout people loved.
However, Apple is now stepping in to stop the application from getting any future updates on the official App Store.
AppGrid is trapped in a zombie state without new updates
AppGrid worked exactly like Launchpad. People bought it specifically because it looked and functioned just like the old tool. After about three months of sales, Apple blocked all new updates. The company claimed the software looked too much like an existing Apple interface. This is a strange rule to enforce since Apple just removed Launchpad from its operating system.
Instead of pulling the software entirely, Apple left the current version up for sale. The developer cannot fix bugs or add features that buyers are asking for. It sits frozen in the store, generating money for both the creator and Apple, but it cannot be improved in any way.
AppGrid maker is moving outside the official store
Apple told the developer that updates would be allowed if he changed the design to look less like Launchpad. Miklosi declined the offer. He knew that thousands of people paid for his software exactly because it mimicked the old layout perfectly. Changing it now would betray the users who bought it.
To get around the restriction, he now sells a separate version of the application directly through his own website. Going around the official store actually allowed him to add extra shortcuts.
This alternate version includes helpful features like pinch gestures and hot corner triggers, which Apple normally bans on its own marketplace.
