Tell HN: Twilio quietly removes Authy iOS app from Mac App Store, stops updates

Authy, a software application that provides two-factor authentication codes for logging into online accounts, previously discontinued its desktop app for MacOS and Windows in March 2024. However, Twilio previously kept its iOS app opted in to let users download it onto Mac computers with Apple Silicon. But recently, Twilio has opted out the iOS Authy app from downloads by Mac computers.

If the Authy iOS app has already been installed on a Mac computer, the app continues to work. However, the app is already out-of-date, and users cannot download the app's latest updates from the App Store available for Macs. There is also no notice to users that the app is outdated.

The removal of updates for Mac users means that many Authy iOS users on Mac computers are unaware that they are running out-of-date software, which leaves these users exposed to security vulnerabilities that would be patched for iPad and iPhone users. The security concern is far from abstract and theoretical, as a wide-scale hack of Authy already broke news just a couple months ago in July.

Some discussion, but not much, has taken place on the r/Authy forum:

- https://old.reddit.com/r/Authy/comments/1e67y2g/app_not_available_in_macos_app_store/

- https://old.reddit.com/r/Authy/comments/1feivdl/is_running_the_ipad_on_macos_no_longer_an_option/