Just before WWDC 2022 kicks off next week – during which Apple will release the latest versions of operating software for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV – the iPhone maker has also released revealing statistics on its App Store security efforts.

Apple will likely summarize some of these findings at the WWDC keynote event on Monday, June 6. In short, Apple said Wednesday that its security efforts in 2021 protected customers from nearly $1.5 billion in “potentially fraudulent” transactions. Additionally, Apple has blocked more than 1.6 million “risky and vulnerable” apps from scamming users.

Of course, there’s always a bit of finesse in quantifying the damage that might have resulted from something that didn’t really happen. The infographic below, however, provides insight into how Apple came to these conclusions. Last year, for example, the company said it blocked more than 3.3 million stolen credit cards from App Store purchases. This statistic also helps explain in part where the “$1.5 billion in fraudulent transactions” figure comes from.

App Store security, in numbers

From Apple’s press release on Wednesday: “Apple’s efforts to prevent and reduce fraud on the App Store require ongoing monitoring and vigilance by multiple teams. From App Review to Discovery Fraud, Apple’s ongoing commitment to protecting users from fraudulent app activity once again demonstrates why independent and respected security experts have declared the App Store to be the safest place to find and download apps. .

In 2021, Apple goes on to explain that its app review process helped over 107,000 new developers get their apps to the App Store. Although this process is not as simple as it seems.

Sometimes pending applications can be a bit unfinished, eg. Or contain bugs that hinder their functionality when the app is first submitted for approval. Apple may also require more robust content moderation mechanisms to be in place for any user-generated content.

“In 2021, more than 835,000 new problematic apps and 805,000 additional app updates were rejected or removed for a variety of reasons like these,” Apple says. As part of the app review process, Apple also stresses that such decisions aren’t necessarily final. Any developer “who believes they have been wrongly reported” for fraud can appeal to Apple’s App Review Board.

Apple releases fraud analysis ahead of WWDC

Apple also notes that it has rejected some apps from the App Store for “flagrant violations” of Apple’s guidelines. The iPhone maker says the breaches were of a type that could have harmed or degraded the overall user experience.

In 2021, Apple adds that its app review team rejected more than 34,500 apps from its App Market. The reason? For “containing hidden or undocumented functionality”. Additionally, more than 157,000 apps were rejected from the App Store for other reasons. Like, for example, Apple having determined that these apps were “spam, copycat, or misleading to users, such as manipulating them to make a purchase.”

As noted above, Apple will likely address some of these findings at the start of the WWDC 2022 keynote presentation. This will likely be part of broader remarks on the state of the company, before company executives ‘Apple doesn’t delve into operating system-specific announcements.

iOS 15 new: For more coverage on iPhone updates, check out our iOS 15 guide.