GameStore is a developer-centric app to test in-app purchasing

Jan 3, 2012 12:37 GMT  ·  By

An app called GameStore slipped under Apple’s radar at the hands of its own review board and got published on the iTunes App Store where it was shortly purchasable for $0.99 (or 0.79 EUR).

The description said "this application allows you to buy different things from within the app." The app is no longer available.

Its existence has been traced back to 2009, shortly before iOS 3.0 was unveiled introducing the in-app purchase concept.

GameStore apparently served that exact purpose - make in-app purchases. However, it appears GameStore is a testing platform for developers, which means it was never intended for the public, hence got published by mistake.

The app’s icon is a shopping cart placed at the bottom left corner against a white background. At the time it was available in the App Store, it had a 12+ ratingp for "Horror/Fear Themes," "Simulated Gambling," "Profanity or Crude Humor," "Realistic Violence," and "Mature/Suggestive Themes."