Wesley Hilliard
A collection of statements from anonymous Apple developers claim App Store review is broken, some resorting to outright fraud to get apps approved.
Apple's App Store and its policies around it are controversial to say the least. Regulatory bodies constantly debate whether it's some form of antitrust, while developers complain of artificial roadblocks and limitations.
A report from mobilegamer.biz shares a list of anonymous statements from developers complaining of the difficulties they've found in publishing apps. Most state that app review is broken, while others share that fraud and shady app features were easy to get through.
While many of these statements are damning of app review, remember that it's fairly easy to get negative statements from disgruntled people. We expect these accounts to be true, but without attribution, there isn't any way to verify.
There are eleven individual and anonymous statements.
- A game developer gave up and focused on Android after numerous rejections, one citing, "This is not entertainment."
- A developer said sneaking illicit features through is easy, "just switch on features remotely after review." We've seen this with children's apps turning into casinos.
- Another claims apps from new developers don't get checked with as much scrutiny. They cited that one dating app was submitted from a new account with the ability to see exactly where a person was.
- One source admitted to outright fraud, using photoshopped documents and McDonald's addresses to create innumerable new developer accounts. They said Apple doesn't bother checking if a company exists or not, and that a call is placed to see if a person picks up the phone.
- One developer says their app would get rejected even as they were releasing clones that pass without issue.
- Multiple accounts stated that app reviewers weren't even checking code, playing a game, or verifying information. It seemed that most apps are approved at random, and changing one letter in the code could sometimes be enough.
These various accounts are anonymous and can't be verified as accurate — and some are admissions of developer agreement terms if not outright fraud by the claimant. Some ring true, as similar complaints have been made before by folks that feel slighted by how the App Store works and its sometimes arcane mechanisms.
Scam apps, clones, and apps with illicit features are known problems on Apple's App Store. However, it seems app review is doing something right, as it is a much larger issue on Google Play Store despite what these accounts suggest.
Apple recently proved victorious against Epic Games in an extended antitrust lawsuit. The company says its victory proves the App Store promotes competition, drives innovation, and provides opportunities to developers.
The App Store certainly has its problems, and Apple sometimes oversteps.
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Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
5 Comments
I submit probably 100 apps a year for app review, and the quality of the reviewers is all over the board. Sometimes the reviewer rejects an app for a ridiculous or erroneous reason, but then the app gets approved immediately if you resubmit it. I think it's fine, but then I've submitted enough apps that I have the routine pretty much figured out. I appreciate that the app review process is usually within 24 hours now.
"These various accounts are anonymous and can't be verified as accurate...”
Of course not, and that’s why they are being published. Stir shit up, add to the frenzy of the evil Apple narrative of those who voluntarily chose to buy products from Apple, knowing full well what being in the walled garden meant. But hey, instead of moving to another platform that supplies what they want, no, let’s force Apple to do what we want. Make Apple’s ecosystem go away and make it just like the other platform we could support if we wanted to
The ultimate solution is easy, Apple core apps, plus the next 10,000 best third-party apps and that’s it, a cull (a massive cleanup) needs to take place. In many genres you don’t need more than 4 really good programs, the exception being mainly games but in that area you can be extra tough in the review process, particularly in actual gameplay, at some point Apple.
Apple in the end has to make a very serious decision on what you want to see within the ecosystem (platform). And then ask a tougher question. How many programs do you really need? To sell iPhones, iPads or Mac’s (the number is isn’t 1 million apps not even close) you don’t need every program in existence you just need the best, most programs can’t make the cut, it is better to be bad parent upfront, than to continue on with filler programs, sometimes you have just got to let the purveyors of crap move on to another platform. You can’t catch every fish in the sea. Digital stores think they can carry everything but in reality, there are limits, and Apple has long past those limits.
The review process needs to become more highly selective in what gets in, and that judgment needs to be like an employer, or a very tough customer on the receiving end buying the program.