Phoxware

It’s finally starting to hit main street that the App Store review system is busted. PC World has a scathing article here and it’s reprinted on MacWorld here. We’ve pointed this problem out ourselves here.

The gist of what’s going on is developers are 5-starring their own apps while 1-starring the competition. Not just one time, but with 5 or 10 iTunes accounts. Yesterday I saw one app just released with 32 5-star reviews all written in the same style with no gripes. Each user had written exactly one review, a review for that app. Obviously they were fake.

The motive is to deceive the public and that’s why it’s unethical. Many of the developers contacted for the article seemed brash about the whole thing. Some even admitting what they’ve done. If it’s not a big deal then why do it? Here’s one example:

InfoMedia CEO Joel Comm counters that he doesn’t see anything wrong with a developer’s posting an anonymous review of a competitor’s app. “If people purchase the app, they can do whatever they want within the guidelines of the iTunes review system,” Comm wrote via e-mail. “I see no reason to disclose that you are a competitor.”

A new app needs to get traction after it hits the App Store. It’s a critical time in its life. So if its first few reviews are 1-stars with negative comments then it may get killed before it even gets a chance to catch on. Negative reviews beget more negative reviews.

This shameless practice only further confirms the need for independant app reviews like we and others are doing. You can help support our efforts merely by linking to us and adding our feed to your reader. Much thanks for your support!