Phil Schiller on App Store Knockoffs in 2012: ‘Is No One Reviewing These Apps?’

Phil Schiller in 2012, after a rip-off app hit # 1: “What the hell is this?????
… Is nobody evaluating these Apps? Is nobody minding the store?” pic.twitter.com/pNaozl6hv1
— Patrick McGee (@PatrickMcGee_) May 3, 2021
Because that 2012 rant, App Store customers have continued to battle with knockoff apps that mimic genuine apps. A 2nd file highlighted Minecraft knockoffs that had actually made it into the App Store not as soon as, but two times, and was consuming Minecraft sales, and in a third 2015 file, Schiller remarks that he “cant think” that Apple does not have automated tools to kick and find out fraud apps.

At the time, Temple Run was a super popular iOS unique 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 team. “How does an apparent rip off of the super popular Temple Run, with no screenshots, garbage marketing text, and nearly all 1-star rankings become the # 1 complimentary app on the store?”
Phil Schiller in 2012, after a rip-off app hit # 1: “What the hell is this?????
… Is no one reviewing these Apps?

Phil Schiller, 2015:
” [this scam app] is an excellent example of the stuff we ought to have automated tools to kick and find out of the store. I cant believe we still do not.” …” and PLEASE establish a system to immediately find low rated apps and purge them !!” pic.twitter.com/fhFvja7vXs
— Jacob Terry (@jerkob) May 5, 2021
Rip-off iOS apps that defraud users and mimic genuine apps continue to be an issue to this day. In current months, developer Kosta Eleftheriou has actually required to speaking up versus rip-off apps and highlighting noteworthy frauds in the App Store, bringing additional attention to the concern.

Knockoff apps have actually long been a problem in the App Store, with rip-off apps slipping previous customers to complete with real apps and steal sales, and back in 2012, Apples Phil Schiller was definitely 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 super popular iOS exclusive title, and in February 2012, a fake version of Temple Run hit 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 reviewing these apps? Is no one minding the store?” he ranted on, before asking whether people kept in mind a speak about becoming the “Nordstrom” of App Stores in quality of service.