Find, download, and install iOS apps from the App Store safely

Every time a popular iphone app or game like Pokemon Go hits the top of the App Store charts, the copycats come out, and so do unlicensed complementary apps. Inevitably, some of those apps are junk; malware sneaks past Apple occasionally; and some programs are nosy, asking for more permissions and information than you should give up. Learn to navigate the App Store swiftly and safely with our guide to finding and vetting iOS apps. Download from the App StoreFor iOS directly, the only legit download source is Apple's App Store. Access it via the App Store iphone app on your iOS device, the iTunes client for Mac Windows or OS, or Apple's website. We wouldn't recommend the website as your main source of info, though, as it's not searchable or built for easy navigation. The App Store might not exactly be visible in your iTunes desktop client by default. If it isn't, click the drop-down menu in the upper left corner (where you choose music, movies, and TV shows). Click Edit Menu then, check the box next to Apps, click on the Done button at the bottom, and click Apps. This will send you to the App Store within iTunes. In iOS, the App Store has its own app that's separate from the iTunes store. Look for the blue icon with a stylized A in the middle, not the pink icon with the musical note on it. Who makes the app?It's important to avoid copycat apps, because they ask for more device permissions than they should frequently, in order to harvest and sell your personal data. This has been more of a problem on Android -- Apple polices its store more stringently -- but you should still be careful and make sure you're getting the application you want and not a knockoff. When a hugely popular game like Pokemon Go drops, use the developer's name to distinguish the official application from the fakes. Pokemon Go (read our review) is made by Niantic, and you'll see that developer's name on the App Store product page, usually right below the name of the app. You can check the Download also.com product page -- scroll down to Full Specifications and click or tap on the sign to see the full details. If those tactics don't work, Google the name of the game or app and "developer" -- for Pokemon Go, you'd search for "pokemon go developer."