Now-deleted scam app demanded positive review before it even worked

An iOS app that forced users to leave a positive rating before using it managed to get past Apple’s App Review process, though it has since been removed from the App Store.

The app, named UPNP Xtreme, purported to let users stream videos to their TV. However, as soon as the app opens after installation, it demands a review before it even functioned.

As spotted by app developer and anti-scam advocate Kosta Eleftheriou, the app would open a review dialog box as soon as it opened. However, the box couldn’t be dismissed without leaving a review that was between three and five stars.

The review behavior directly violates Apple’s App Store guidelines, which bar developers from “showing a request review immediately when a user launches your app.”

More than that, Apple’s review API…