Baby Shaker
ScreenshotBaby Shaker screenshot.jpg
AuthorAlex Talbot
DeveloperSikalosoft
ReleasedApril 2009 (age 17)
Discontinuedyes
Operating systemiOS
PlatformiPhone
LanguageEnglish
GenreNon-game

Baby Shaker is a controversial discontinued mobile game that was available on the Apple App Store for a short time in April 2009. Developed by Sikalosoft, the game features a minigame in which players can quiet an illustration of a baby accompanied by sounds of distress by either rocking their iPhone or shaking it, the latter of which results in the depicted baby's death. The app received widespread negative attention across the Internet from accusations of promoting shaken baby syndrome.

Description

Baby Shaker was developed in 2009 by Sikalosoft, which, according to The Guardian, is operated by a single programmer named Alex Talbot.[1] The game was approved for the App Store later that year by a team led by Phillip Shoemaker, an Apple employee who was in charge of iOS app approvals.[2] The game was sold for US$0.99.[3]

Baby Shaker solely consists of a minigame in which a timer counts from 0 and the sounds of a baby crying are heard over a black-and-white illustration of a baby. There are two ways players can calm the baby down: they can either rock their iPhone back and forth as if they are cradling a baby in their arms,[2] or they can shake their iPhone, which results in two red Xs appearing over the baby's eyes, symbolizing the baby's death. After the baby stops crying, the user is asked if they would like to play again. The goal of the game is to endure the baby's cries for as long as possible.[4]

On a plane, on the bus, in a theater. Babies are everywhere you don't want them to be! They're always distracting you from preparing for that big presentation at work with their incessant crying. Before Baby Shaker there was nothing you could do about it.

— 'Baby Shakers application description.[5]

Baby Shaker received negative feedback from both parents and child protection groups, accusing the game of mocking and promoting shaken baby syndrome and infanticide,[6][7][8] despite the game's description warning to "Never, never shake a baby".[9] According to Shoemaker, protesters showed up outside of Apple Infinite Loop campus, and he admitted that the app's approval was a mistake on his end.[2] In response to the criticism, Baby Shaker was removed from the App Store on April 23, 2009, two days after its release.[3][10] Apple then issued an apology for approving the app, calling it "deeply offensive".[11] RTVE criticized Apple for not explaining why the app was approved.[12] Sikalosoft has not responded since Baby Shaker was pulled from the App Store.[13]

See also

  • I Am Rich – a notably expensive 2008 iPhone application
  • Send Me to Heaven – an Android application known for encouraging risky behavior

References

  1. ^ Arthur, Charles (April 24, 2009). "Apple shaken by iPhone baby game". The Guardian. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Murphy, Bill Jr. (May 30, 2019). "With 7 Short Words, Steve Jobs Gave This Apple Employee a Brilliant Lesson in Leadership". Inc.. ISSN 0162-8968. Archived 2025-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  3. ^ Arthur, Charles (2009-04-23). "'Baby Shaker' game pulled from Apple's iPhone App Store". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  4. ^ Yordy, Eric D. & Bryant, Katlin (2013). "The Baby Shaker Application: A Mobile App Dilemma". Journal of International Business Education. 8: 27–34. Northern Arizona University: NeilsonJournals Publishing. ISSN 1649-4946. Archived September 21, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  5. ^ Woodman, Tenley (April 22, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' app fuels outrage". The Boston Herald
  6. ^ Choney, Suzanne (April 22, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' app pulled from iPhone store". NBC News
  7. ^ Choney, Suzanne (22 April 2009). "'Baby Shaker' app pulled from iPhone store". NBC. Archived May 29, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  8. ^ De Wolfe, Danielle (January 18, 2016). "The most outrageous banned apps from the App Store". ShortList. Archived April 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  9. ^ Cernansky, Rachel (April 23, 2009). "Most Offensive iPhone App Ever? "Baby Shaker" Endorses Infanticide". Discover Magazine. Archived May 12, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  10. ^ Hutcheon, Stephen (April 23, 2009). "Apple pulls baby shaking game". WAtoday. Archived November 21, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  11. ^ Krazit, Tom. "Apple apologizes for Baby Shaker". CNET. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  12. ^ "Apple retira un juego para el iPhone basado en zarandear a un niño" (in Spanish). RTVE.es. rtve. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Apple apologizes for 'Baby Shaker' iPhone app". NBC News. April 23, 2009.

Further reading