Just one day after exposing a handful of developers spamming the App Store with duplicate VoIP apps, a clear violation of the App Store Review Guidelines, TechCrunch reports that Apple has removed many of the apps from the App Store.
However, the report notes that plenty of duplicate apps remain available in other categories, such as photo printing. MailPix Inc., for example, has released three different apps that all offer same-day photo printing at nearby CVS or Walgreens locations. All three apps appear to be virtually identical in functionality.
By releasing duplicate apps on the App Store, developers are able to game the search results by using different names, categories, and keywords.
As the report mentions, the primary issue here is that Apple is not consistently enforcing its App Store Review Guidelines, which warn developers that "spamming the store may lead to your removal from the Developer Program." This can lead to an unfair playing field for developers who do abide by the rules.
With millions of apps on the App Store, it is likely that quite a few other duplicate apps have slipped through the cracks, but hopefully the increased awareness results in Apple cracking down more on these rule-breaking developers.
Thursday July 24, 2025 9:11 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to debut in September 2025. This release follows Apple's recent trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall.
To unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely...
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should launch in late September, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will have several new camera-related features, according to an anonymous tipster who contacted MacRumors today.
The tipster claimed to be familiar with an iPhone 17 Pro commercial that is allegedly being produced by a film company that has publicly listed Apple as one of its clients. MacRumors has not independently confirmed any of the information shared ...
Apple today released watchOS 11.6, the sixth update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.6 comes more than two months after Apple released watchOS 11.5. The update is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.
watchOS 11.6 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.6, the sixth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.6 comes a over two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.5.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia 15.6 update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15.
...
Apple today released iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, the sixth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems. iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 come more than two months after the release of iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 18.6 addresses a Photos-related bug that could...
Another image of the iPhone 17 Pro's rumored new MagSafe design has surfaced. Unfortunately, though, the image's quality is pretty low.
A user known as "UnclePan" on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week shared an image of third-party MagSafe cases that are apparently for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
On the iPhone 17 Pro cases, the MagSafe...
So you didn't read anything in the article, just felt the need to complain about something completely unrelated?
I try to avoid the forum comments here lately. It's become just full of negative people complaining about everything. Many years ago these forums weren't so full of negative folks...
Guess its really true, humans are more motivated online to be negative than positive .
"Apple Cracking Down on Developers Spamming the App Store With Duplicate Apps"
Good. Plus, I soooooo wish Google would do this, as well.
It's not always the same developer. A third-party may provide an open-source app or sell an app to "developers" that they can then put on the app store as their own. The end result is you have several different developers all selling the same app.
I was searching for a duplicate photo cleaning, and I kept seeing the same app over and over, released by different developers.
Both Apple and Google have this crap, and they both are filled with fake 5-star reviews.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
