Baby Shaker

Baby Shaker
Original author(s)Alex Talbot
Developer(s)Sikalosoft
Initial release2009 (2009)
Operating systemiOS
PlatformiPhone
Available inEnglish
TypeNon-game

Baby Shaker is a discontinued mobile game that was available on the Apple 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 crying noises 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, as it was accused of promoting shaken baby syndrome.

Background and development

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 (equivalent to $1.45 in 2024).[3]

Gameplay

A screenshot of Baby Shaker in which the baby has been killed after 6.4 seconds

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 their death. After the baby stops crying, the user is asked if they would like to play again on the bottom of the screen. The goal of the game is to endure the baby's cries for as long as possible.[4]

Reception

Baby Shaker received negative feedback from parents and child protection groups, who accused the game of promoting shaken baby syndrome (SBS)[5] and infanticide,[6] despite the game's description warning to "Never, never shake a baby."[7] 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][8] Apple then issued an apology for approving the app, calling it "deeply offensive".[9]

See also

  • I Am Rich - a notably expensive 2008 iPhone application
  • Send Me to Heaven - 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. ^ a b c 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 from the original on July 26, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Arthur, Charles (April 23, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' game pulled from Apple's iPhone App Store". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  4. ^ Yordy, Eric D.; Bryant, Katlin (2013). "The Baby Shaker Application: A Mobile App Dilemma" (PDF). Journal of International Business Education. 8. Northern Arizona University: NeilsonJournals Publishing: 27–34. ISSN 1649-4946. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  5. ^ Choney, Suzanne (April 22, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' app pulled from iPhone store". NBC. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  6. ^ De Wolfe, Danielle (January 18, 2016). "The most outrageous banned apps from the App Store". ShortList. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  7. ^ Cernansky, Rachel (April 23, 2009). "Most Offensive iPhone App Ever? "Baby Shaker" Endorses Infanticide". Discover Magazine. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  8. ^ Hutcheon, Stephen (April 23, 2009). "Apple pulls baby shaking game". WAtoday. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  9. ^ Krazit, Tom. "Apple apologizes for Baby Shaker". CNET. Retrieved August 3, 2025.

Further reading

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