'Fakespot' Removed From Apple's App Store After Complaint From Amazon [Updated]

[falainber]

I can't believe the stuff B&H has actually in stock, in store. That place is huge. The widest ranging and weirdest stuff ever under one roof. It's like Candyland for photographers.

This kind of store may exist in NY and hardly anywhere else. I am not even sure the store would be profitable on its own without their online operations.

 

[falkon-engine]

Alternative App Stores would allow apps like Fakespot to flourish...

 

[Jony Ive and Co.]

That MacBook Air in the article image sure looks lit. Cant wait for Apple to slim down the bezels.

 

[johannnn]

Who in their right might "dedicates months of resources and time and money into this app" for an Amazon wrapper without permission. You're begging for problems.

 

[connormw]

Great, so Apple should go ahead and remove Chrome, Firefox and Edge browsers from the App Store as all three wrap websites and have the ability to inject JavaScript to steal user passwords.

Ok. This is a pretty dumb take.

1. If a web browser "wrapped" websites, wouldn't Safari also be in violation of the rules?

2. Browsers don't "wrap" websites - they serve websites, an important distinction. This app essentially displayed Amazon with augmented code and injected attributes. Amazon did not grant them a license to use their website/service for this. Once again, back to my Apple Store example - do you think Apple would grant permission for an app to do the same to their online store?

3. Apple does not allow alternative browser engines on the platform. You can either use Safari WebView/WebKit, or nothing. So by Apple's own rules, there isn't an alternative to using their built in web view and wrapper to show any web content on iDevices.

Who in their right might "dedicates months of resources and time and money into this app" for an Amazon wrapper without permission. You're begging for problems.

A developer who didn't think. Honestly a dumb move on the developer's part. You can get away with this on PCs because the extension ecosystem is so rich and without serious regulations that it doesn't matter. But on a controlled platform that works to enforce copyrights for developers who also have apps on their store/platform? Stupid move to think Apple would side with them over Amazon. On top of the fact that the App Store has it's own issues with fake and misleading reviews, especially with all those F2P apps that you see advertised on Twitter, FB, etc. - tons of misleading or false reviews to get users to download the apps and do IAPs. Apple doesn't want to get into this tit-for-tat with either developers on the iOS platform or with Amazon, as they don't necessarily have an amazing track record with the review problem either.

 

[Karma*Police]

I'm tired of the cheap Chinese knock-off products that break shortly after purchase. The site is flooded with them, because Amazon brings them over by the boatload and delivers them to you next day. Not kidding - it is literally giant tankers bringing them over.

Amazon used to have the best prices on great products. Now it has the best prices, because the products are cheap.

I would argue it doesn’t even have the best prices anymore. For many products, I’ve found Walmart to be cheaper. In some cases, much cheaper. And I don’t have to pay them $120 for shipping or wait 2 weeks. I get it within 2 days for free. But mostly, I try to patronize my local businesses or smaller chains in my neighborhood for most everyday goods.

 

[jahsavi]

I'm tired of the cheap Chinese knock-off products that break shortly after purchase. The site is flooded with them, because Amazon brings them over by the boatload and delivers them to you next day. Not kidding - it is literally giant tankers bringing them over.

Amazon used to have the best prices on great products. Now it has the best prices, because the products are cheap.

Amazon = AliExpress Same-Day. No but really Amazon doesn’t care about quality products made in the USA. It’s a Chinese focused marketplace now.

“Better bring a broom because it’s a mess!” -Marty H.

 

[bb9]

Amazon should buy Fakespot, not ban it.

This is likely the only smart comment here 👍

 

[sw1tcher]

It's a good thing we can bypass Apple's app store and download and install the app directly from the developer's website.

 

[X38]

I’ve not previously heard of this Fakespot thing, but it sounds pretty useful. Thank you Amazon for bringing it to my attention. Looking at their website now - expect I will make use of it.

 

[Defender2010]

I can proudly say I’ve never ordered a single item from Amazon and never will.

 

[troublador]

I am more tired of fake people creating fake reviews.

If a company allows any customer or user – i.e. anyone – to post reviews on their site then fake reviews are impossible to stop. IMPOSSIBLE. Amazon seems slow to grasp this basic fact.

 

[555gallardo]

They should make an app that informs you when Amazon is ready to trash another 200 tons of factory sealed products, Apple devices included.

 

[400]

One would think that Amazon would know how to do this themselves and provide a valuable service to their customers.

 

[mw360]

I really think only reviews that are negative should be allowed. I almost never read positive reviews and go straight for the negatives. Companies would have no way to affect their reviews. Show the total number of units sold and the number of negative reviews. Whether the product is good or bad would be immediately obvious.

Fake negative reviews are a massive problem too, but consumers don’t often hear about it or get upset about it, because they aren’t the victim. Plenty of small businesses will testify to getting destroyed by fakes campaigns from competitors and counterfeiters.

 

[twistedpixel8]

Fakespot hurts Amazon, Amazon asks for it to be removed.

Exactly. Amazon doesn’t seem to realize this looks really bad.

“We will host fake reviews if we damn well please. How dare you try to make it an honest marketplace where customers aren’t tricked into buying junk.”

 

[One2Grift]

Exactly.

I'm in audio/video production. I buy tons of supply items from Amazon, plus all sorts of little connectors, cables, etc.

There couldn't be a local brick-n-mortar store that could have all of those items on a shelf... and also every other category of item.

The reason Amazon can have nearly every item imaginable is because of the warehouse/shipping model. They have acres of warehouse space all over the country... and items can be shipped to your house in 2 days, 1 day, or the same day.

I know people love to say "Amazon is killing local businesses"

Well that may be true for certain items.

But I wasn't buying XLR cables from any local store where I live in Mooresville, NC.

There is a Guitar Center in Charlotte about 45 minutes away. But they only have a couple brands. And their prices are ridiculous! Like you said... it's due to the fact that is costs so much for a store to hold all that stock.

So yeah... Amazon might be the devil... but I can stand the heat.

😛

The XLR, a many a mic cable I installed with an XLR from radio shack (but they never seemed too have enough of one gender). 3.5 jacks, BNCs, splitters, that place was a go to. Sad to see it go but Amazon does have wide availability, most ready to ship quickly. But if we need it that day, web search for mom and pop electronics depot and a drive to get it.

 

[2013.1]

Now I know that this exists. Thanks Amazon.

 

[One2Grift]

Fake negative reviews are a massive problem too, but consumers don’t often hear about it or get upset about it, because they aren’t the victim. Plenty of small businesses will testify to getting destroyed by fakes campaigns from competitors and counterfeiters.

True but consumers to a lesser extent are victims in that they’re tricked and cajoled to buy another product that may be lousy or inferior/miss the better product. And IME many consumers don’t know reviews are propagated with fake user fake review farming.

it’s absolute bull shift! And I’ll not lose a wink of sleep when any of these fakes and astroturers have karma come to them. They’re no better than the old used car salesman who takes an old lady out of her last several thousand dollars to put her in a car he knows is a lemon. These people are the retched refuse IMO.

 

[Contact_Feanor]

I like how I spot a fake Mac in a story about a product called FakeSpot.

 

[PsykX]

RIP.
You can't trust Amazon reviews anymore, I found it very useful.

At least it remained installed on my phone.

 

[Steve121178]

tired of the fake reviews.

A friend of mine bought a USB cable from a seller on Amazon and was contacted by the seller to see if they wanted to receive a free Android tablet in return for a 5 star review.

I thought this practise was rare, but after a few mins research I found that it's highly common to send out free stuff in return for a fake 5 star review.

 

[randyhudson]

There’s apple, always on top of security issues. What could be safer than giving your Amazon credentials to a third party.

 

[randyhudson]

I mean let's be honest here, it's a pretty clear-cut violation of the rules.

And apple completely missed it

 

[zorinlynx]

One thing I wonder is why this has to be an app? This can easily just be a website, which Apple cannot ban and can be accessed from anywhere on any device.