Apple

Seems like it's not as cut and dry as the headline suggests.

According to Apple, there’s more to this story, and it thinks it made the correct decision. The iPhone maker said Appstun’s app repeatedly tried to mislead users into thinking that it offered features and functionality that it didn’t support and also marketed the app with deceptive ads, leading to negative app ratings and reviews.

Among the complaints from end users was that the custom animations or images didn’t work like real watch faces as they had hoped.

“I bought this to get what looks like a Rolex watch face … it’s not a face it’s just a picture … hands don’t even move,” wrote one customer. “Does this company have permission from Rolex to do this? I took it they did but I doubt it. Pure scam to get money from people. I want a refund it’s not acceptable. I will also report to Rolex and see if they do anything.”

I'm willing to believe that maybe the developers were trying to build an app that really did work like a watch face with more features, but simply didn't have it fully baked before submitting. Then it seems as though they went all in on pushing it through anyway and possibly paying for fake reviews.

Multiple complaints in the reviews indicated the app didn’t offer the watch faces it advertised and others questioned how the app could have 4.4 stars when so many of the written reviews were negative complaints.

Sounds like some bad management choices at best. At worst, they were negligent and fraudulent with their product offering.

I was ready for this to be another example of Apple abusing developers via the App Store.

But these weren’t actually watch faces in the traditional sense, but rather custom images and animations that run independently of the App Watch face system. Essentially, the app would take over the screen showing an image that was similar to a watch face, allowing Appstun to offer more customization. Of course, running a custom animation in this way could drain the Apple Watch battery faster.

Apple was also concerned that customers wouldn’t understand that they weren’t running a normal watch face, and that Appstun deceived them by suggesting that’s what it was offering.

Hmm. Sounds like this might be reasonable.

Among the complaints from end users was that the custom animations or images didn’t work like real watch faces as they had hoped.

I guess people were duped after all by the presentation of the app in the store.

Multiple complaints in the reviews indicated the app didn’t offer the watch faces it advertised and others questioned how the app could have 4.4 stars when so many of the written reviews were negative complaints.

Ok, this sounds pretty justified.