Apple Locks Down App Screenshot Upon Approval To Halt Scamming

It seems Apple is making its application ecosystem more stringent with new set of rules that prohibits iOS apps developer to change the screenshot of iOS application after it has been approved. This move has been made by the Cupertino company in order to prevent scammers from replacing the screenshots with fake ones and tricking people into buying fake applications.

Earlier iOS app developers were able to change the screenshots at their ease after they have been published on the app store. In this way, some developers combined names that were identical to the titles of some popular applications, hence tricking users in buying their application. Although this will come as a bad news and will affect some legitimate iPhone application development, it will make sure than there are no bogus applications in the app store.

There have been many cases of fake iPhone games development with publishers naming their games identical to some popular iOS games. Some of the examples include various applications named HALO 4 which actually were simple racing or chess games. Another example of this also included a game name “Mooncraft” that had screenshots similar to popular game “Minecraft” and tricked users into buying the application. Once the applications were submitted, the developers used to change the title as well as the screenshot to trick people. Now Apple has taken cognizance of it and laid forward these rules to ensure such practice does not happen again.

There are many iPhone apps programmer that now feel that they will have a difficult time as they wont be able to update their screenshot portraying the new added features with every iteration of their application. But Apple has come around and said that the iOS apps developers would be able to change the screenshot, when they give the binary for approval on each application update.

Over the years, Apple has come with many regulations as well as tools to ensure that the application ecosystem of iOS is secure and there are no malicious applications in its app store. But at times these regulations have taken a hit on the iPhone application development, with developers having to alter the way they implement their applications. However, Apple has been at forefront with its iPhone development solutions to ensure that high quality applications are created for its OS.

There is no doubt that this new feature will prove a bit frustrating for some developers, who have legitimate applications, but if it is able to stop the scamming on the app store, then it is a welcome change brought forward by Apple.