Apple Criticized for Closing Bug Reports Without Fixes, Forcing Developers to 'Verify' Issues in Betas
Key Takeaways
- ▸Apple has been accused of artificially closing bug reports without actually fixing underlying issues, allegedly to manipulate internal quality metrics
- ▸The company demands developers verify bugs in beta software after months or years of silence, then closes reports if developers cannot easily access betas
- ▸A three-year-old security vulnerability related to privacy and network traffic leakage remained unfixed despite Apple's demand for verification
Summary
A developer has publicly criticized Apple's bug reporting process, alleging the company closes bug reports without actually fixing underlying issues. The developer described a three-year-old security bug report (FB12088655) regarding a privacy vulnerability in network filter extensions that Apple suddenly demanded be "verified" in beta software—despite never communicating about the issue for years. When the developer consulted with Little Snitch developers who actively test macOS betas, they confirmed the bug remained unfixed in the latest beta, and the issue persisted in the public release of macOS 26.4.
The developer claims this is part of a pattern where Apple prioritizes closing bug reports over actually resolving software quality issues, suggesting internal leadership incentivizes metric manipulation rather than genuine bug fixes. This frustration is compounded by another bug report marked "Unable to diagnose" without Apple ever requesting additional information, and a Safari crashing bug introduced in iPadOS 26.4 betas that remained unfixed in the public release. The criticism highlights systemic inefficiencies and perceived disrespect toward developers who voluntarily contribute to Apple's quality assurance efforts.
- The practice appears systemic, with multiple developers reporting similar experiences of bugs being marked resolved without fixes or adequate communication
Editorial Opinion
While this account comes from a single developer, the allegations raise serious questions about Apple's software quality assurance processes and transparency with the developer community. If accurate, the practice of demand-verifying old bugs in betas without genuine fixes—and then closing them after developer non-compliance—suggests internal metrics are being gamed at the expense of actual product reliability. This approach risks eroding developer trust and potentially allowing security vulnerabilities to persist indefinitely while creating an illusion of quality to internal stakeholders.
