Qihoo reportedly used private APIs and systematically abused the iOS ecosystem

Feb 5, 2013 14:20 GMT  ·  By

Chinese software company Qihoo has seen all of its applications removed from the App Store listings after Apple discovered “systematic abuses of its iOS ecosystem,” according to Tech in Asia citing China’s QQ Tech.

Over 20 applications coded by Qihoo are reportedly banned from the App Store as a result of the developer using banned APIs (application programming interface), as well as for encouraging jailbreaks.

The removal of Qihoo’s iOS apps was done manually by Apple, and the decision prompted a “special investigation” by the Cupertino company. According to the sources reporting on the matter, “Qihoo is in big trouble with Apple.”

Qihoo’s chief financial officer has reportedly flown to the US to meet with Apple representatives and “help speed up the restoration of the apps to the App Store.”