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iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

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51–60 of 123 posts

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#51
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they provide the source code on request or in the credits or something similar, isn't that perfectly legitimate?

My understanding was that the GPL and Apple's app store terms were fundamentally incompatible, but I suppose that might only be true of iOS (because of the development tool issues and such).

GPLv3 which requires handing over the keys, yes. GPL(v2), no.

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#53
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also agree that Apple has a right to curate their store. But I disagree that the only store I should be allowed to buy from is Apple's.

Then don't buy an iOS device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#54
post #30
post #21

Their other apps: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/super-racing-real-games/id... From the looks of it, they're a total scam developer. How does this stuff get into the store? At least two of their apps use the logos of other apps with some quick filtering to change the colors. I guess Apple isn't doing much more than a cursory check against trademarks when approving apps. That seems really dangerous. Copyright infri…

I think Apple's position is "it's not our job to police your trademarks, since you don't tell us when you license them to developers".

I am pretty certain that would not hold up in court: because they do very specific curation of their App Store (including reading the descriptions for content and vetoing certain forms of text), they are legally liable for all of the content displayed in their catalog.

In fact, due to the way the American legal system works (with our concept of "joint and several liability"), Apple would probably end up paying any and all trademark damages, and would then have to go after the developer to recover as much as they could themselves.

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#55

I love these guys. They have tons of other shitty/scammy apps: - Fruit Defense (ripoff of Fruit Ninja): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fruit-defense/id527599882?mt=... - File Manager (a game!): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/file-manager/id529097807?mt=8 - Orient Fight (icon is a ripoff of Temple Run's): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oriental-fight/id527894964?mt... - F1 Birdie Driver (bird looks like an angry bird)…

I love these reviews of F1 Birdie Driver:

----------

Wow! by {{{Indie_John}}} (Five Stars)

Surprising control system! It's cool, that you can steer.

Birds! by david35689 (Five Stars)

It's so cool, that birds are in racing game now!

Worthless by Jim hannoonen (One Star)

Horrible game! Total waste of money.

----------

Someone should release a game called "Spot The Fake Review".

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#56
post #30
post #21

Their other apps: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/super-racing-real-games/id... From the looks of it, they're a total scam developer. How does this stuff get into the store? At least two of their apps use the logos of other apps with some quick filtering to change the colors. I guess Apple isn't doing much more than a cursory check against trademarks when approving apps. That seems really dangerous. Copyright infri…

I think Apple's position is "it's not our job to police your trademarks, since you don't tell us when you license them to developers".

Apple does respond to complaints from trademark holders. It's not Apple's job to determine trademark infringement; it's the job of the trademark holder to protect their marks. When Microsoft files a complaint, Apple will take down the offending app, assuming the violation can be proven. The burden of proof (as in the courts) is on the trademark holder, not the seller.

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#57
post #30
post #21

Their other apps: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/super-racing-real-games/id... From the looks of it, they're a total scam developer. How does this stuff get into the store? At least two of their apps use the logos of other apps with some quick filtering to change the colors. I guess Apple isn't doing much more than a cursory check against trademarks when approving apps. That seems really dangerous. Copyright infri…

I think Apple's position is "it's not our job to police your trademarks, since you don't tell us when you license them to developers".

They usually do catch or question or flag apps that can't provide license to use trademarks. We publish apps using well known apps and they sometimes get rejected until we can prove we have permission by the mark holders.

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#58
post #39
post #9

Aren't we handing over all the flexibility of open app development so that Apple can protect us from crapware? What the hell are they doing with my $100 a year?

I don't know what they're doing. But I think it must be something really complex as my last application needed 13 days to get "in review" status and then 18 days more to get approved. Feels good paying those $100 every year ...

You could just stop developing for Apple. I hear Android is an "open" platform.

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#59

I love these guys. They have tons of other shitty/scammy apps: - Fruit Defense (ripoff of Fruit Ninja): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fruit-defense/id527599882?mt=... - File Manager (a game!): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/file-manager/id529097807?mt=8 - Orient Fight (icon is a ripoff of Temple Run's): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oriental-fight/id527894964?mt... - F1 Birdie Driver (bird looks like an angry bird)…

You feel that Apple should reject "every single shitty app"? Really? You do realize that such things are subjective, right?

Re: iOS App Store - Fake Microsoft Word 2012 Approved

#60
post #21

Their other apps: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/super-racing-real-games/id... From the looks of it, they're a total scam developer. How does this stuff get into the store? At least two of their apps use the logos of other apps with some quick filtering to change the colors. I guess Apple isn't doing much more than a cursory check against trademarks when approving apps. That seems really dangerous. Copyright infri…

To quickly follow up on your aside regarding how this might work for copyright issues (as opposed to for trademarks): the DMCA procedures do not apply to Apple due to their specific curation: they have forfeited any possible safe harbor protections, and the procedure for dealing with them is not simply a take down notice.

Thereby, if you have an issue with an app in the App Store, you can and probably should (as in, the American legal system will, in the end, fail to work correctly for you if you don't) directly sue Apple for any copyright infringement that occurs in their App Store. (Of course, most directly, what you should do is talk to your lawyer. ;P)

(I am not a lawyer, but I do run Cydia, the alternative to the app store that distributes substrate extensions for jailbroken devices, and have in the past run other systems such as Cyrket. I thereby have received a fair number of C&D's myself, and have had my own lawyers brief me on these matters.)

(That said, Cyrket had DMCA safe harbor and for Cydia I only host my own work, so I can easily and often be fuzzy about details as they might apply to companies like Apple. It is interesting, though, to hear at conferences from people at Google about the balance the Android Market must keep to maintain their DMCA safe harbor.)

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