Apple pulls API doc browser Dash citing 'repeated fraudulent activity'

Apple has pulled Dash, a popular API documentation resource, from the Mac and iOS App Stores, claiming that developer Bogdan Popescu manipulated reviews to get more downloads.

On Wednesday Popescu received a notification that his iTunes Connect account was being shut down for "fraudulent activity," according to MacRumors. The company is said to have refused to elaborate at first, but after Dash's removal gained some public attention, Apple eventually told Popescu he was accused of manipulating reviews, for instance by paying for positive ones.

Popescu has denied any wrongdoing, but said that Apple informed him its decision is final and can't be appealed.

In unusual executive-level involvement, Apple's worldwide marketing head Phil Schiller blamed Dash's removal on "repeated fraudulent activity" in an email response to a person called Matthew Eis.

Apple has been known to reverse course on App Store removals if it later determines that a mistake was made. Because Dash is no longer being sold by Apple, though, the controversial reviews are no longer visible. Developers can still buy Dash as a direct download.

12 Comments

NY1822 620 comments · 8 Years

About 8 years ago

and 9to5Mac posted an article yesterday bashing apple for pulling the app saying "under no circumstances should it be ok for Apple to pull the developers apps without explanation ",
and the "developer has lost all available revenue streams for his software with no obvious recourse" and "hopefully the issue can be resolved so Dash can return to the App Store" and "it most likely was an innocent error by Apple that will be reversed".

EsquireCats 1268 comments · 8 Years

I think Apple are well aware of download numbers and usage of the app and didn't take this lightly. (Also indicated so by Schiller who looked into the matter directly as well.) If Phil Schiller has looked into it and upheld the decision - you can bet your ass it was happening and not in a small way.

frxntier 96 comments · 12 Years

EsquireCats said:

I think Apple are well aware of download numbers and usage of the app and didn't take this lightly. (Also indicated so by Schiller who looked into the matter directly as well.) If Phil Schiller has looked into it and upheld the decision - you can bet your ass it was happening and not in a small way.

My thoughts exactly.

When the story first came up, I didn't really think the developer was being entirely honest. Something didn't feel right.

Now that we've seen Schiller look into it, there really isn't any doubt. Schiller isn't an idiot, he certainly wouldn't send an email like that knowing it would go public without being 100% certain that he's correct.

It would've been nice to see a more detailed explanation of what went down, but I guess in most cases these shut downs occur because of obvious fraud and they've never considered that anyone they're shutting down deserves any reason for it (because the "developer" probably already knows exactly why they've been shut down).

wizard69 13358 comments · 21 Years

Something still smells fishy here! Dash was one of the few developer oriented APP's that I felt was worth paying for. Installed it on both my iPAd and Mac. I'm not likely to go off App Store to buy and install either so I guess I'm screwed. Hopefully there is a more Neptune investigation

rgh71 127 comments · 15 Years

wizard69 said:

Something still smells fishy here! Dash was one of the few developer oriented APP's that I felt was worth paying for. Installed it on both my iPAd and Mac. I'm not likely to go off App Store to buy and install either so I guess I'm screwed. Hopefully there is a more Neptune investigation

The galactic police are really busy these days, but I'm sure once they wrap up their Saturn investigation they'll get right on it! ;)