Google Play Store Removes Instagram-Like OG App A Week After Apple Ban

Instagram replica OG App has been removed from the Google Play Store just about a week after the application was pulled from Apple's App Store. Meta had previously accused the OG App, developed by San Francisco-based UN1Feed, of violating its policies.

"OG has been taken down from the App Store & Play Store," a message on top of the app's website reads. It also asked consumers to join the waitlist for "when OG is available." More than 1,200 people have joined the waitlist as of Monday.

"OG will be unable to continue serving users through our mobile app," it said on Twitter.

In the same Twitter thread, UN1Feed founders Hardik Patil and Ansh Nanda thanked the first 25,000 users who downloaded the app before it was removed from the app stores.

"We hope to have more news and clarity soon about the next steps we're taking in the coming weeks," another message on the Twitter thread read.

Apple first removed the OG App from its App Store in late September. The tech giant said the app allegedly accessed Instagram's service "in an unauthorized manner, which violated the Meta-owned platform's terms," TechCrunch reported.

The Apple ban came just about a week after UN1Feed launched the OG App. In a few days, the app saw 10,000 installations after it promised an ad-free home feed. After the app was removed from the App Store, UN1Feed said Meta disabled its team members' personal Facebook and Instagram accounts.

UN1Feed went on to accuse Apple of "colluding" with Meta for the App Store ban. "Facebook hates its own users so much, it's willing to crush an alternative that gives them a clean, ad-free Instagram," the tech startup told TechCrunch.

"This app violates our policies and we're taking all appropriate enforcement actions," a spokesperson for Meta told TechCrunch, adding that the social media giant would deal strictly with clone sites.

Social media users who installed the OG App have also shared their experiences on Twitter. One user said he was "locked out" of his Instagram account after downloading the OG App. The user said he deleted the app immediately after he was alerted "about an android login from Egypt."

One user said his login credentials "were used from war-torn Ukraine's Kyiv suburb" after he installed the app.

Many other users also faced similar issues.

While many were unpleased about the login-related problems they encountered, some users said they actually liked the suggestion-free, add-free app, which replicates Instagram.

Google is yet to issue a statement on its decision to remove the OG App from Play Store.