Phil Schiller on App Store Knockoffs in 2012: ‘Is No One Reviewing These Apps?’
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$59.99 (as of 20:59 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)At the time, Temple Run was a very popular iOS special title, and in February 2012, a fake variation of Temple Run struck the App Store charts. Schiller sent out an email to Eddy Cue, Greg Joswiak, Ron Okamoto, Phillip Shoemaker, Matt Fischer, Kevin Saul, and others on the App Store group. “How does an apparent rip off of the very popular Temple Run, with no screenshots, garbage marketing text, and almost all 1-star ratings become the # 1 totally free app on the shop?”
Phil Schiller in 2012, after a rip-off app hit # 1: “What the hell is this?????
… Is no one reviewing these Apps?
Knockoff apps have long been an issue in the App Store, with fraud apps sneaking previous customers to contend with real apps and steal sales, and back in 2012, Apples Phil Schiller was absolutely furious when a fake app made it to the top of the App Store rankings, according to documents shared in the Epic v. Apple trial.
At the time, Temple Run was a very popular iOS exclusive title, and in February 2012, a phony variation of Temple Run struck the App Store charts. Schiller sent out an e-mail to Eddy Cue, Greg Joswiak, Ron Okamoto, Phillip Shoemaker, Matt Fischer, Kevin Saul, and others on the App Store group.
” Is nobody evaluating these apps? Is nobody minding the shop?” he ranted on, prior to asking whether individuals remembered a speak about ending up being the “Nordstrom” of App Stores in quality of service.
…” and PLEASE develop a system to instantly discover low rated apps and purge them !!” pic.twitter.com/fhFvja7vXs
— Jacob Terry (@jerkob) May 5, 2021
Rip-off iOS apps that defraud users and simulate genuine apps continue to be an issue to this day. In current months, designer Kosta Eleftheriou has required to speaking up versus rip-off apps and highlighting notable rip-offs in the App Store, bringing additional attention to the concern.
Phil Schiller in 2012, after a rip-off app struck # 1: “What the hell is this?????
… Is no one reviewing these Apps? Is no one minding the store?” pic.twitter.com/pNaozl6hv1
— Patrick McGee (@PatrickMcGee_) May 3, 2021
Since that 2012 rant, App Store reviewers have actually continued to have a hard time with knockoff apps that imitate real apps. A second document highlighted Minecraft knockoffs that had made it into the App Store not once, however two times, and was eating up Minecraft sales, and in a 3rd 2015 document, Schiller remarks that he “cant think” that Apple does not have automated tools to kick and discover out fraud apps.