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

At the time, Temple Run was an incredibly popular iOS unique title, and in February 2012, a phony 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. “How does an apparent rip off of the extremely popular Temple Run, with no screenshots, garbage marketing text, and practically all 1-star scores end up being the # 1 free app on the store?”
Phil Schiller in 2012, after a rip-off app struck # 1: “What the hell is this?????
… Is no one reviewing these Apps?

Phil Schiller in 2012, after a rip-off app struck # 1: “What the hell is this?????
… Is no one reviewing these Apps? Is nobody minding the shop?” 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 simulate genuine apps. A second file highlighted Minecraft knockoffs that had made it into the App Store not as soon as, but two times, and was consuming up Minecraft sales, and in a third 2015 document, Schiller remarks that he “cant think” that Apple doesnt have automatic tools to kick and discover out rip-off apps.

Phil Schiller, 2015:
” [this rip-off app] is a great example of the things we should have automatic tools to kick and discover out of the store. I cant believe we still dont.” …” and PLEASE develop a system to immediately find low rated apps and purge them !!” pic.twitter.com/fhFvja7vXs
— Jacob Terry (@jerkob) May 5, 2021
Fraud iOS apps that defraud users and imitate real apps continue to be a problem to this day. In current months, developer Kosta Eleftheriou has actually required to speaking up versus scam apps and highlighting notable rip-offs in the App Store, bringing additional attention to the issue.

Knockoff apps have long been an issue in the App Store, with rip-off apps sneaking past customers to take on authentic apps and steal sales, and back in 2012, Apples Phil Schiller was absolutely furious when a phony app made it to the top of the App Store rankings, according to files shared in the Epic v. Apple trial.
At the time, Temple Run was an extremely popular iOS special title, and in February 2012, a fake version 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 no one reviewing these apps? Is nobody minding the store?” he ranted on, prior to asking whether individuals remembered a speak about ending up being the “Nordstrom” of App Stores in quality of service.