Fake ‘Sora’ apps flood Apple’s App Store despite crackdown
Many of these fraudulent apps weren’t new creations — some had existed under other names earlier this year or even in 2024 before being rebranded to exploit the sudden surge in searches for “Sora.”
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A wave of fake Sora apps has infiltrated Apple’s App Store following the debut of OpenAI’s invite-only video generation app, with several impostors still live despite Apple’s removal efforts.
After OpenAI launched its official Sora app last week, dozens of clones appeared on the App Store, many brazenly using the same name — or calling themselves “Sora 2”, a nod to the new underlying AI video model. These copycats managed to pass Apple’s App Review process and were publicly listed despite using a trademarked name belonging to one of the world’s most prominent AI companies.
According to data shared with TechCrunch by app intelligence firm Appfigures, more than a dozen “Sora”-branded apps went live after the launch of the official app. Over half included “Sora 2” in their titles. Prominent Apple commentator John Gruber even dubbed one of them the “App Store scam of the week.”
Many of these fraudulent apps weren’t new creations — some had existed under other names earlier this year or even in 2024 before being rebranded to exploit the sudden surge in searches for “Sora.” Collectively, the imposter apps have been downloaded around 300,000 times, with 80,000 of those installs occurring after OpenAI’s official app launch. For comparison, OpenAI said its legitimate Sora app has surpassed 1 million downloads.
Nearly all the fake apps were updated immediately after the official launch, simply renaming themselves to ride the wave of consumer interest. Appfigures reported that while Apple has removed many of these impostors, some remain active.
The biggest offender, “Sora 2 – AI Video Generator,” gained more than 50,000 installs following the official release, while others such as “PetReels — Sora for Pets” and “Viral AI Photo Maker: Vi-sora” are still live but have seen limited traction. Another clone, “Sora 2 – Video Generator AI,” has attracted over 6,000 downloads.
In total, the fake Sora-branded apps have generated over $160,000 in revenue, a considerable sum given their short time on the platform.
The incident raises renewed questions about Apple’s App Store review process, which has long been marketed as a safeguard against scams and counterfeit software. Despite the company’s swift removals, the persistence of these copycat apps underscores the ongoing challenges of policing fraudulent listings — especially when viral AI tools trigger massive spikes in consumer interest.
