A few weeks ago, 9to5Mac reported on a pirate streaming app that tricked the App Store Review into getting approved by Apple. Following the publication of our article, Apple removed the app. However, it seems that the developers have once again tricked the company into approving not just one, but multiple pirate streaming apps on the App Store.
Update: An Apple spokesperson told 9to5Mac that the apps have been removed from the App Store, but no details have been provided about the company’s measures to prevent other apps like this from getting approved again.
Pirate streaming app makes its way back to the App Store
The apps are known by the name “Collect Cards” and are published by different developers, although they’re pretty much the same app. As we detailed in our previous report, the description and screenshot of the apps show a simple interface that has nothing to do with streaming.
However, when you open the app, it shows a whole catalog of pirated movies and shows from platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and even Apple TV+.
At the time, 9to5Mac revealed that the app tricks App Store Review by implementing a geofence that hides its real functionality for users located in the US:
9to5Mac has learned that the app checks where the user is located to determine whether to show the basic interface seen in the App Store screenshots or the pirate streaming interface. For example, the app hides everything related to streaming for users in the US, so people at Apple would only see a basic app for photos and videos instead.
Unfortunately, it seems that even after the company took down the app following our report, Apple isn’t doing much to prevent new ones from getting approved in the App Store.
This isn’t the first time an app has used location data to trick the App Store Review. In 2017, Uber was accused of working on a “geofence” for Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. When the app was run inside this geofence, it automatically disabled codes used to fingerprint and track the user across the web.
Apple is yet to comment on the matter or at least take down the apps from the App Store.
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