A mobile games developer has criticised iPhone app websites that promise quick reviews in return for payment.
ZoomiOS games developer Andrew Smith said that the practice of charging developers for game review exposure "is not journalism".
He said the sites which charge for reviews "cannot be objective, takes credibility away from the app and doesn't give consumers all the info".
Smith, publishing his findings on the website of iPhone publisher AppyNation, cited multiple websites which are thought to take part in the practice.
He alleged that the following sites operate a 'cash for expedited review' policy:
- AppCraver
- Tapscape
- Best 10 Apps
- The iPhone App Review
- iPhone Toolbox. And
- iPhone Footprint
One of the websites offers the following proposal: "For guaranteed coverage, we can expedite your review for $150. This ensures your app will be reviewed within seven business days".
The group insists that expediting a review "does not guarantee positive coverage".
The Press Complaints Commission, an independent body which publicises an editorial code of ethics, told CVG that there was no policy on paying publications for reviews. The group claimed it was a "contractual issue" and not an editorial one.
