Is eBay app update bypassing Apple's app store screening?

Question

On iPad, the ebay app keeps popping up a screen asking me to update. No updates have shown available in the app store for a long time. Is this a way to get around Apple's vetting process and give me undocumented "features" that Apple won't allow? Apparently, not, but why/how does IOS not show that an update is available?

iPad IOS is generally updated within a day or two of new release. Currently at IOS 9.0.1, with update screen showing up-to-date.

Have never done a jail-break.

App Store "purchased" screen says version 3.6.0 for eBay. App store update screen does not offer an update for ebay. App store description (from search) shows version 4.0 available for download. But IOS notifications do not show update available.

eBay app on launch always says "The new app is here" with an "update now" button in a large pop-up titled "Message from eBay"

Answer 1

Current version of the eBay app is 4.0 - requires iOS 7.0 or higher.

Unless your iPad is Jailbroken, all apps come from the iTunes app store.

If iTunes isn't offering the update, maybe either your iTunes or iOS is out of date?

Answer 2

App store showed 4.0 as download cloud. Normally this means I had already downloaded it once. Before getting a free app, it normally has a "GET" button.

But when I downloaded it, it is a separate app. The older version is still there.

So apparently the reason it doesn't show as an update is that they put it in the store as a separate app (instead of an update).

But then why would it show that I had already "purchased" it?

Answer 3

I had this problem as well.

It seems as has been mentioned latest version of the app downloads as a seperate version. Giving you two versions. If you are getting the message pop up it means you have opened the old version. The latest version doesn't have the pop up message.