Apple doesn't even seem to be trying with App Store Review. Users should not be the ones who find problem apps, but over and over, that is what is happening. No question, Apple has the resources to protect us from bad apps, and it keeps telling regulators that it has. As regulators press for third-party firms to run iPhone App Stores, Apple protests that only it can keep bad apps at bay. But if you're going to hold up the App Store Review process as the last thin line of defense, you have to make it work and Apple is repeatedly failing.

In August 2026, after countries such as the UK outlawed "nudifying" apps, The Independent found several still on the App Store, including one with scenes called "bedroom rape." Apple removed it only after being asked. Developer Jeff Johnson detailed how he spotted a suspicious Safari extension, Tab Control, displaying a fake "4.9 out of 5" rating banner in its poster image. Reviews on the developer's site were dated before the app's release. Apple should have caught this false advertising.

AppleInsider research found Simply Piano's listed App Store prices bore no relation to actual charges — a $109 difference for a UK annual subscription. Reported in June 2026, the issue persists. Grok flooded X with AI-generated porn in January 2026, some featuring minors; Apple threatened removal but the app remained. Apple claims its review prevented $2.2 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2025, but we cannot know how much fraud got through. Trust in the App Store is eroded, and it's Apple's fault.