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.
