App Store Bloat Monkeys

So, I'm about to send off the SpaceBox app to the Apple Folks, and took a tour through the App Store Music area. It appears the app bot monkeys are alive and at work: the efforts of our friends at iLike inc. They've found some way to snooker money out of artists by making churning out fake "Official Artist" apps that just put up a picture of the artist then overlays it with some junk buttons. Check out this attractive screen shot for "Antje Duvekot" (... yeah, me either ...) as an example:



Um, if I'm really that into Antje, I'd really like to see her face, you know? It's clear that either a sub- or a non-human is churning these things out - they are totally bloating the Music section of the app store - and are notable for all having the same description copy ("This is the official XYZ app for the iPhone or iPod Touch. This app is a must-have for XYZ fans and concert-goers. It helps you keep up with XYZ while you're on the go..."). It also helpfully points out that each of its hundreds of artists are Rated 12+ for:

- Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes,
- Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes,
- Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humor, and
- Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco or Drug Use

Shame, shame, Ms. Duvekot (et. al.).

[ddg]