4 ms·

I published an app on the App Store, which did quite well in its niche. Soon, a bunch of very similar apps popped up. One app cloned everything about my app --

by yarcob 5y ago

I published an app on the App Store, which did quite well in its niche. Soon, a bunch of very similar apps popped up. One app cloned everything about my app -- even the icon. But Apple didn't care. They don't give a shit when people clone apps and try to mislead customers by making apps that have almost the same name as another app. Apple should focus on getting rid of scam apps and blatant rip-offs. Who cares if there are 100s of horoscope apps on the store? It's not like shelf space is limited. As long as an app doesn't harm or mislead customers, I don't see why Apple should reject it.

systemvoltage 5y ago
Not to undermine your effort, but isn't this the same outside of Apple? Kickstarter projects get cloned and ask a legitimate Amazon seller how their products got overrun by Chinese clones. That said, I would expect Apple to be a little better for 30% cut.
- bryanrasmussen 5y ago
  That's true, on the other hand the fact that copyapps even copy icons and have very close sounding names in the same space would be a trivial thing to guard against.
  - systemvoltage 5y ago
    Machine learning like its 2010! Agree, it would be not too difficult.
bradly 5y ago
You can file a DMCA on the icon and you may get a quicker response. I used a DMCA to take down a fraudulent listing of one of my rental properties after all other contact channels were tried.
wintermutestwin 5y ago
>Apple should focus on getting rid of scam apps and blatant rip-offs. Since they have a walled garden, they have a clear responsibility. A system of empowered consumer advocates should have the power to force them to live up to this responsibility. >It's not like shelf space is limited. Hard disagree. If you add infinite shelves, you make it too hard to find valuable apps. I am all for the walled garden, but Apple is instead making a walled crapstore.

by yarcob 5y ago

systemvoltage 5y ago

Not to undermine your effort, but isn't this the same outside of Apple? Kickstarter projects get cloned and ask a legitimate Amazon seller how their products got overrun by Chinese clones. That said, I would expect Apple to be a little better for 30% cut.

bryanrasmussen 5y ago
That's true, on the other hand the fact that copyapps even copy icons and have very close sounding names in the same space would be a trivial thing to guard against.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  Machine learning like its 2010! Agree, it would be not too difficult.

bradly 5y ago

You can file a DMCA on the icon and you may get a quicker response. I used a DMCA to take down a fraudulent listing of one of my rental properties after all other contact channels were tried.

wintermutestwin 5y ago

>Apple should focus on getting rid of scam apps and blatant rip-offs. Since they have a walled garden, they have a clear responsibility. A system of empowered consumer advocates should have the power to force them to live up to this responsibility. >It's not like shelf space is limited. Hard disagree. If you add infinite shelves, you make it too hard to find valuable apps. I am all for the walled garden, but Apple is instead making a walled crapstore.