We’re all still suffering a bit of whiplash from Twitter changing its name to X. The rollout, while clumsy, was swift, and even the Twitter HQ is sporting a sign to commemorate it. Now, Twitter is called X on the iOS App Store, though it technically shouldn’t be, according to The Verge.
The thing is that the iOS app store has a policy that keeps apps from having single-character names. The Google Play Store doesn’t have such a policy. This is why people noted that they were able to see the new name on their Android devices and not on their iPhones/iPads.
Elon got special permission to call Twitter X on the iOS App Store
So, if you or the other average Joe wanted to make an app with a single-character name, you’d be out of luck. However, we’re talking about rich people and multi-trillion-dollar corporations here. It’s no surprise that Elon was able to get a VIP pass.
It seems that Apple and Elon Musk aren’t arguing anymore. Soon after Elon bought Twitter, news came out that Apple threatened to remove Twitter from the iOS App Store. Tim Cook and Elon Musk met and apparently made up soon afterward. If there was still heat between the two companies, we probably would have seen a messy spat on social media over the name.
X is allowed on the iOS store, but not on the San Francisco building
Elon is in hot water now over the new X sign that he placed on the top of the San Francisco HQ. The thing is that he didn’t get the proper permission to erect the sign. The Department of Building Inspection has rules when it comes to placing signs on buildings. It needs to be consistent with the historical nature of the building.
Aside from the legal issues, the sign is a gigantic eye-sore. It shines a bright light into the building adjacent to it. At night, there’s an unwanted light show. Also, the sign flashes quickly, which could be an issue for people with photo-sensitive conditions.