First, how in the world did this app get approved with this name and with this icon? And how is it still there? The ripoff version is now popular enough to be ranked #7 on the Entertainment list. Where’s the App Store bunco squad? This wouldn’t even be a hard case to crack. It wouldn’t be more obvious that this app is a ripoff if its name were “Widgetsmith – Ripoff Version”. Apple keeps telling us how great the App Store is, but ripoffs like this remain commonplace.
Gruber absolutely nails it. For as much as Apple touted the importance of controlling its own app platform, blatant copycats of apps like Widgetsmith happen far too often. Part of Apple’s agreement with the developers is that the will handle the legitimate distribution of apps, but when this happens, it makes developers wonder aloud if the price they pay too Apple is too steep for what they get in return.
Michael Miller 