Readdle removes apps from Russian App Store, pledges support for Ukraine

Readdle Apps (Image credit: Readdle)

What you need to know

Readdle has pulled their apps from the Russian App Store.
The developer also pledges not to do business with Russian-owed companies.
Existing users in Russia will still have access to apps, but no further updates will be provided.

Amid the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, Readdle has decided to pull its popular productivity apps from the Russian App Store. In a statement given to iMore, the developer cites Russian aggression as the primary cause for the termination of app sales and support.

"Readdle was founded in Ukraine, and many of our employees call it home. Right now, Russian armed forces are bombing & attacking Ukraine by land, air, and sea. Our company stands with the people and government of Ukraine against the Russian invaders."

The apps no longer available in the Russian App Store are Spark, PDF Expert, Documents, Scanner Pro, and Calendars. The developer has said that existing users in Russia will still have access to their apps, but no new features or security updates will be delivered to those customers. On top of that, Readdle will also cease business with certain companies.

"We will not do business with Russian-owned companies or companies that continue to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

Readdle also reassures users in other countries that all its apps and infrastructure are fully up and running, meaning users shouldn't experience any problems or disruptions in service.

Lastly, Readdle is asking for anyone willing to support Ukraine by lobbying your government, protesting peacefully, and donating money to help the people of Ukraine.

Readdle has set up a webpage with links to creditable charities to make it easy to donate money to reputable Ukrainian organizations that are already working to help people in the country.

Luke Filipowicz has been a writer at iMore, covering Apple for nearly a decade now. He writes a lot about Apple Watch and iPad but covers the iPhone and Mac as well. He often describes himself as an "Apple user on a budget" and firmly believes that great technology can be affordable if you know where to look. Luke also heads up the iMore Show — a weekly podcast focusing on Apple news, rumors, and products but likes to have some fun along the way.

Luke knows he spends more time on Twitter than he probably should, so feel free to follow him or give him a shout on social media @LukeFilipowicz.

2 Comments

While I oppose what Putin is doing to Ukraine, these ‘cancel-culture’ type responses are childish in my opinion. They target the people, not the root cause. They just cause more inconvenience and suffering in order to virtue-signal support or condemnation. Put blame where it belongs, with the man in the White House and Putin, not on the Russian people. What’s next, will Readdle remove Canadian users too because our leader also became a dictatorial tyrant recently?
It's hardly cancel culture or virtue-signalling. Readdle are a Ukrainian company, headquartered in Odessa.