An update. I've been informed by VPP Support that the iOS core apps (Calendar, Reminders, Notes, etc) are not currently available on the in the VPP Store or the iTunes store. I was asked to supply Feedback from the deploy.apple.com website:

I encourage you to use the Feedback link on the program website to submit your comments: 1. Go to https://deploy.apple.com <https://deploy.apple.com/> 2. Sign in using your Apple ID and password. 3. From the top-right menu, choose Send Feedback. 4. Submit your comments.

I suggest anyone else who restricts access to the App Store in their environment do the same.

Submitted! This is a big issue! We don't want our users to be without Safari, for example.

@St0rMl0rD Thanks. Luckily Safari is not deletable, but Mail is, so that could get annoying fast.

I thought the apps were not actually deleted but hidden. Out of curiosity, what happens if you send a Hide profile for that app and then unscope that profile?

@cdenesha

That's a creative suggestion! I tried deleting the Home app, then hiding it with a profile and then removing that profile, but the app didn't come back. Down the same lines of thought I tried a Single App Mode payload with com.apple.Home as the bundle ID, but the the profile failed to install with a 'The payload specifies an app that is restricted.' error. Seems like something locally on the iPad is handling the 'deletion' of the core apps which is currently incompatible with MDM?

Patrick

I thought the apps were not actually deleted but hidden. Out of curiosity, what happens if you send a Hide profile for that app and then unscope that profile?

This is an old thread, but someone gave me a Kudo. Thank you, but I was wrong, the stock apps can be deleted. They can be reinstalled by anyone in the App Store even without signing in, so you have to enable it if it is blocked.

Now in 2022 there is a restriction that restricts the deleting of stock apps.