Apple allows two fake Halo 4 apps to be sold in the App Store

Those who bought the Halo 4 apps got these games

Getting an app approved and listed on the Apple App Store in an arduous process. Yet, two obviously fake Halo 4 apps made it through to actually go on sale for $4.99 each on the App Store. While both had an icon that would seem to represent the wildly popular Microsoft game, showed screenshots of the real thing and had a metadata description of Halo 4, what you were purchasing for nearly $5 was a chess game or a racing title. Neither game would be worth the money that you might have been rooked out of.

Each Halo 4 app also featured a number of 5 star reviews. Actually, to be precise, there were 206 reviews with an average 4.5 stars. How could something like this escape the watchful eye of Apple not just once, but twice? We do have to note that Apple has removed the fake Halo 4 apps, but not before some people spent $4.99 for something that they did not receive.

"Bought this app because I thought it had to do with halo 4. Instead, it is nothing more than a chess game. This is a serious false advertising issue and I am contacting the proper federal administrative agency to handle this situation. DO NOT BUY! SCAM! Fraud!"-unhappy buyer of Halo 4 app

source: MacMixing, CultofMac via Gizmodo

The phoney listing

23 Comments

Options

Close Follow ›

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 17:27 17

1. hobble (Posts: 130; Member since: 11 Oct 2011)

And to think, I was led to believe these types of problems are only native to android.

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 17:53 5

6. Nadr1212 (Posts: 741; Member since: 22 Sep 2012)

If Apple gets $ off of this I can totally understand y they didn't stop it

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 17:33 2

2. roscuthiii (Posts: 2233; Member since: 18 Jul 2010)

Can I get a "bwa-" followed by a "haha!"???

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 17:52 2

5. Nadr1212 (Posts: 741; Member since: 22 Sep 2012)

No, no I can't

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 17:43 4

3. Droiddoes (unregistered)

LMAO as much as apple likes to cry, b*tch, p*ss and moan like a toddler about "waaaah u copied us!" I find it hilariously ironic that they would allow this.

Just when I think they can't fail any harde LOL

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 17:45 7

4. sprockkets (Posts: 1611; Member since: 16 Jan 2012)

Curated app store my ass...

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 18:59 7

7. nnaatthhaannx2 (Posts: 820; Member since: 19 Oct 2011)

Apple is just letting anything through to keep their numbers up against Android.

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 18:42

23. Droiddoes (unregistered)

Yup. A desperate act from a desperate company.

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 20:44 1

8. theBankRobber (Posts: 682; Member since: 22 Sep 2011)

And they said Android users are the stupid ones. LMMFAO at these IOS retards.

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 21:06 1

9. jroc74 (Posts: 6019; Member since: 30 Dec 2010)

Say it isnt so.....

"But but but....fake apps never happen in the Apple app store...., har har har Android!!"

Lets see how this is defended by the usual suspects....

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 21:25

10. networkdood (Posts: 6330; Member since: 31 Mar 2010)

oops??

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 21:27

11. reyenrique (Posts: 99; Member since: 07 Oct 2012)

well lt look like apple is showing there true color scam the peple,

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 22:34 3

12. Berzerk000 (Posts: 4275; Member since: 26 Jun 2011)

Nah, Apple's perfect. Those aren't scam apps, Apple just re-made Halo 4, and made it better obviously! :D /sarcasm

posted on 21 Dec 2012, 23:28

13. rusticguy (Posts: 2828; Member since: 11 Aug 2012)

Anything for a "Few Dollars More" ... after all Sir Jonny bought a 17 mil house just recently and some has to bear the expenses.:)

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 01:01 1

14. rajagopalan.k (Posts: 35; Member since: 17 Dec 2012)

so much for the PREMIUM online application store!

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 02:54 1

15. ReddD (Posts: 37; Member since: 29 Oct 2012)

If they let something as blatant as this through twice then I wonder just how many viruses get through daily!

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 06:02 1

16. frydaexiii (Posts: 1475; Member since: 01 Dec 2011)

Ha, with Apple, even fake apps cost money...

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 06:12 1

17. rajagopalan.k (Posts: 35; Member since: 17 Dec 2012)

according to APPLE PROTOCOL
dear user,
you've downloaded the app wrongly.

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 06:13

18. faizanshakyboy (Posts: 3; Member since: 14 Sep 2012)

Should anyone actually think the latest XBox 360 mega title would appear on an iOS device? Shame on these unscrupulous "developers" in the first place, but shame on the buyers for thinking it's the game itself. If they believe that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn...

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 11:18

20. jroc74 (Posts: 6019; Member since: 30 Dec 2010)

Yea....some of us said the same thing when fake Apple apps were in the Google Play Store.

But.....the thing ppl harped on was "thats what happens when you have an app store not as controlled as Apple's" This isnt supposed to happen in the Apple app store. Its supposed to be a tightly run ship in Apple land.

More n more...the Apple vs. Androiod myths are dying one by one.

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 10:12

19. darac (Posts: 2156; Member since: 17 Oct 2011)

I really think it's time to drop the prism of the "perfect eco system", most tech journalists are using.
Take Verge reviews - Apple products get a 10 here by default, while Android phones can't get more than 8 (or 9 if it's the Nexus, which again shows the subjective bias )

The fact is Google play is getting better and better and has its advantages over the iTunes.
I mean, there are loads of apps that are free on Google play, and cost money on the app store.
And also, great exclusive apps on both sides, not just on the ..dark one.:p

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 16:14

21. Robert235 (Posts: 62; Member since: 30 May 2010)

poor iphone users thought halo 4 would run on their device."can it run it".next month breaking news "iphone users bought fake crysis 3 approved by apple".

posted on 22 Dec 2012, 17:46

22. microsoftnokiawin (Posts: 1236; Member since: 30 Mar 2012)

i still think it's unfair how some retard made a sh8TLOAD of money with no punishment or anything