Universal An App Publisher has hacked the iOS App rating pop up forcing 3 or more stars

[Seoras]

I didn't believe this when I saw it but after downloading the App and checking it out it appears to be real.
How many hours until Apple gets wind of this and boots this publisher off the App Store?
Not soon enough....

https://twitter.com/x/status/1397288720357679104

 

[Seoras]

The other thing I'm left scratching my head over is how the hell did this get past Apple's App review process?
I got dragged over the hot coals for petty, trivial things last time I submitted an App for review.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I hope you reported the app. That is terrible. If the reviewer loaded and tested the basic functioning of the app, how did that not get seen?

 

[Seoras]

I hope you reported the app. That is terrible. If the reviewer loaded and tested the basic functioning of the app, how did that not get seen?

How do you report an App to Apple? Not on the App Store anyway.

I can think of a very simple way to hide this from App Review.
Get the App to "phone home" on launch over the 'net and retrieve a meta file telling it how to behave.
When waiting for review the meta tells the app to do nothing naughty. After review the meta is changed and it behaves badly for everyone else. Bonus - word gets out and you expect Apple to come knocking. You update the meta again and play innocent. "Who us? Nah....".
Epic got away with it until they got caught but that was staged and they came looking for a fight.
These guys must surely expect to get treated no differently, why take such a risk?

 

[Apple_Robert]

I usually use the link below to send specific feedback. I don't see an App Store option, though. Maybe you could find something close and be very specific in the dialogue box.

Product Feedback

We would love to hear your comments about any of our hardware and software products. Send us your thoughts.

www.apple.com

 

[Seoras]

The guy who tweeted this is no Apple fan boy, much the opposite.
What exactly is a "professional app store critic"?
Is that someone who makes money from ripping up Apple and its App Store in the media?
That's what the title implies.

With the Epic-v-Apple court case wrapping up and awaiting a decision there's still an on going attempt to discredit the App Store as adding no value.
This App Store rating circumvention example plays beautifully into Epic's campaign strategy.
Expect to see more over the next weeks and months.

 

[Seoras]

I usually use the link below to send specific feedback. I don't see an App Store option, though. Maybe you could find something close and be very specific in the dialogue box.

Product Feedback

We would love to hear your comments about any of our hardware and software products. Send us your thoughts.

www.apple.com

Better than that. I have a contact on Linkedin who's a "senior architect" at Apple. Just PM-ed him.

 

[Seoras]

Apparently Apple have taken down the developer account now. Whack a mole? Let's hope not...