SwiftKey left the App Store and sneaked back seven weeks later
Microsoft discontinued SwiftKey for iOS, then quietly relisted it
One of only 20 things they have ever fully walked back.
The market's verdict: +5.3% on MSFT in the week after.
What actually happened
On September 28, 2022, Microsoft announced it was pulling SwiftKey from the Apple App Store and ending support for the iPhone keyboard millions used daily, while Android kept its version. Seven weeks later, on November 18, the app quietly reappeared, with Microsoft's only explanation being customer feedback. A product big enough to have fans, dead for a month and a half, resurrected with a shrug. Even by this site's standards, the whiplash is notable, and the incident is now the reference case for checking whether a Microsoft death is really a death.
This one is officially acknowledged.
Links
↳ caused by SwiftKey iOS discontinuation (September 2022)
Timeline
- Sep 28, 2022 Announced Microsoft announced it.
- Nov 18, 2022 Walked back Relisted on the App Store after customer feedback.