News November 19, 2012

Common Sense, Please! Apple is NOT Releasing Android Apps on Google Play

I know I shouldn’t even have to say this, because the news IF Apple was going to port something like GarageBand to Android would be so huge that no one would be surprised when it landed.

But this weekend some Android users managed to get tricked into thinking that Apple had ported and released some of their key iOS apps to Android … and paying ~$5 – 10 for the fake apps.

It isn’t clear whether those buying the apps were refunded, and what was done to the people who posted the apps – it is the downside of the unchecked nature of Google Play that fake apps, malware, and IP infringement run rampant.

According to CultOfAndroid

Android users got a bit of a surprise over the weekend when they opened up Google Play to find a number of popular Apple apps had been ported to their devices. Apps like Garageband, iMovie, iPhoto, and the iWork productivity suite were all available to download for a brief period before they were pulled again.

Those who managed to purchase them before they disappeared, however, quickly found out that they were not the real thing. Surprise, surprise.

The possibility of Apple porting any of its apps to Android seems almost as likely as Tim Cook announcing Flash Player for iPhone. Yet it seems some Android users were fooled into thinking it had actually happened. It’s unclear just how many purchased the apps, but they certainly did not get what they expected.

All of the apps were developed by “Apple Inc,” according to their descriptions, and the developer’s website redirected users to Apple’s homepage. The email for technical support was “ android@apple.com.”

The apps were priced between $5 and $10 — certainly not the cheapest Android apps around — and amazingly, iMovie even managed to achieve a three-star rating, though we’re assuming the reviews were just as fake as the app.

My basic advice is this: if it sounds too good to be real, it probably is; if it seems like a big deal and you haven’t heard about it or seen it on a web report, chances are it is fake; and until you see it emblazoned across Apple’s web site … don’t believe it when you see Apple apps for Android.

Source: CultOfAndroid

Tags: Android Apps, Apple, Google

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About Michael Anderson

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I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!

gorkon

It’s actually pretty common and not just for Apple apps. Google needs to at least INSTALL the app before they put it on the store. It’s obvious, to me, they don’t do that. Or at the very least reserve hot iOS app names before they hit the market. Before Snapchat hit Android there were a BUNCH of knockoffs. Same thing with Netflix. While I don’t want it to get Apple draconian, they DO need to do some BASIC checking before it just gets put out to the web…..