AI Startup Replit Launches ‘Vibe Coding’ Feature for Building Mobile Apps
Replit has unveiled its Mobile Apps feature, allowing creators to build and publish Apple device applications using nothing but plain English descriptions.
This capability promises to transform ideas into working apps within minutes and get them to the App Store in days.
This breakthrough represents a leap forward in accessible AI development, with Replit trying to position itself at the forefront of the “vibe coding” movement. The platform now enables small business owners and creators to bypass traditional programming entirely, using conversational AI to generate publishable applications that can immediately start generating revenue through integrated Stripe monetization.
Replit is enjoying life as it approaches a new funding round that would value the company at $9 billion, up from its September 2025 valuation of $3 billion.
The viral phenomenon
The launch capitalizes on the viral “vibe coding” phenomenon that has become one of the most disruptive trends in the generative AI boom. This approach allows developers to create applications through natural language conversations rather than traditional programming syntax, fundamentally changing who can build software.
Vibe coding has already proven its market potential, with Anthropic’s Claude Code reaching $1 billion in annualized revenue within just six months of its launch. The competitive landscape reveals the enormous investor appetite, with Cursor creator Anysphere raising $2.3 billion at a $29.3 billion valuation in November, while European firm Lovable was recently valued at $6.6 billion.
Replit’s Autonomous AI Agent 3 can plan, code, and refine projects completely autonomously, supporting major programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript while integrating with AI models including Claude, GPT-4, and Gemini.
The future of app development
The launch signals a shift in how mobile applications will be created and deployed. However, this democratization of app development comes with challenges that developers and businesses must navigate carefully.
Apple’s review process remains a bottleneck, with users still required to submit Replit-generated apps through the traditional App Store approval system. While Apple reviews 90% of submissions in less than 24 hours, the company’s strict guidelines and user data agreements could pose challenges for AI-generated applications.
Even more concerning are emerging security vulnerabilities that have experts alarmed. A cybersecurity startup, Tenzai, recently discovered that popular AI-coding agents, including Replit and Claude Code, ship apps with critical vulnerabilities. This finding highlights the importance of thorough testing and security audits, even for AI-generated code.
Democracy manifest
The democratization of app development could unleash a wave of innovation from non-technical creators who previously couldn’t bring their ideas to market. With 82% of businesses reporting developer talent shortages, tools like Replit’s mobile app feature could help bridge the critical skills gap that has constrained digital innovation.
The recommended approach emerging from early adopters is to use vibe coding for throwaway prototypes and concept validation, then transition to professional development teams for production-ready applications.
This hybrid model could change how businesses approach digital product development, allowing for rapid experimentation followed by professional implementation.
Google is giving Gemini users a new way to tinker, experiment, and build.
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