App developer and rip-off app hunter Kosta Eleftheriou’s newest discovery is an actual doozy, an iOS app that refuses to function earlier than you give it no less than a 3-star evaluate within the App Store. Although the UPNP Xtreme app — which claimed to let customers stream video to their TVs — now seems to have been pulled, we have been capable of confirm that it generates the App Store score field the second it opens. You can’t dismiss the rankings field, nor are you able to faucet the 1 or 2-star rankings, Eleftheriou stated. We verified this conduct, however some different users report they have been capable of dismiss the dialog field or go away a decrease score.

This is just the latest scammy app to have been unearthed by Elefheriou, who’s been waging a conflict in opposition to them after his personal Apple Watch keyboard app, FlickType, was overtaken by expensive apps with faux opinions. Eleftheriou says Apple has removed over 100 apps because of his reviews, nevertheless it’s regarding that the multi-billion greenback firm isn’t catching these scams throughout its App Store evaluate course of.

The UPNP Xtreme app’s conduct immediately contradicts the most effective practices Apple lists on its developer website, which states that builders ought to “avoid showing a request for a review immediately when a user launches your app.” Generally, builders are allowed to immediate for a score as much as there occasions in a 365-day interval.

Apple’s evaluate course of has been beneath notably intense scrutiny lately due to Epic Games’ lawsuit against the company. Central to the dispute is the 30 p.c fee Apple takes on many App Store funds and in-app purchases. Apple argues it wants the fee to run the App Store and create a protected atmosphere for customers. But that argument will get undermined fairly rapidly if apparent scammy apps are capable of slip by means of Apple’s evaluate course of.

Apps like those found by Eleftheriou not solely hurt prospects who find yourself downloading scammy software program and may get tricked into paying for difficult-to-cancel recurring subscriptions. It additionally harms reliable builders who must deal with apps which can be prepared to play soiled to get the nice opinions wanted to stand up the App Store’s rankings.

Eleftheriou filed a lawsuit in opposition to Apple earlier this year, arguing it exploits its monopoly energy over iOS app to generate profits on the expense of app builders and shoppers.