GoodShort v2.7.0 blocks subscription cancellation and activates camera, June 2026

The official release notes for version 2.7.0 on the App Store claim only to 'Optimize performance and improve user experience'. This generic description provides no information about changes to the app's billing or permissions.

However, user-reported behavior indicates substantial alterations. This release continues a pattern seen in previous updates where the publisher ships changes that negatively affect users under the cover of vague performance improvements.

The primary driver of the negative sentiment is a pair of critical issues introduced in v2.7.0. The most frequent complaint is the inability to cancel subscriptions. One 1-star reviewer on v2.7.0 stated, "There is no area on the app that allows you to cancel the subscription when you want." Another user paying $20 weekly noted, "there’s no way for me to cancel it."

A more alarming allegation involves privacy. A user reported their iPhone's camera indicator activated without prompt after installing the app: "After I downloaded this app, my iPhone would notify me my camera was being turned on...^[2] Once I deleted the app, it stopped happening." While a security platform confirms the app requests camera access, this report of unprompted activationGlossaryActivationThe percentage of installs who complete a defined "activation event" — the action that converts a passive install into an active user. is a new and serious concern.

The reaction to version 2.7.0 was immediate and negative. The app's average ratingGlossaryStar RatingThe 1-5 star average users give your app on the App Store and Google Play — a primary ran^[1]king signal and one of the biggest conversion drivers on your product page., which stood at 4.24 stars from 151 reviews before the update, dropped to 3.44 stars across 54 new reviews. This represents a -0.8 star fall in average rating.

Before the update, 5-star reviews for version 2.6.9 praised the content, with one user calling it "Excellent video shorts." After the update, 1-star reviews dominate the feedback, focusing on the new billing and privacy problems. The shift shows a clear break in user trust directly tied to the changes in v2.7.0.

This is not the first time GoodShort has faced criticism for its business practices. An article in April 2026 detailed user outrage over a $19.99 weekly subscription and cancellation issues in version 2.5.9. Complaints on external platforms like Trustpilot reinforce a long-standing pattern of difficult-to-cancel billing.

The v2.7.0 update appears to escalate this strategy from merely difficult to impossible, marking a new low in the app's relationship with its users.^[3] Despite these recurring issues, the app maintains a large audience, with downloads exceeding 1.4 million in the last 30 days.

The publisher's actions suggest a deliberate strategy focused on revenue retentionGlossaryRetention (D1 / D7 / D30)The percentage of users from a cohort who return to the app N days after install. D1 = day-1 retention, D7 = 7-day, D30 = 30-day. The single most important non-reven... through opaque and hostile design. By making subscriptions difficult or impossible to cancel while shipping over 1.4 million new downloads a month, the model appears to depend on a constant influx of new users who are unaware of the billing traps.

The new camera activation allegation, if confirmed, would represent a severe privacy breach. Whether a bug or intentional, this claim is likely to attract scrutiny from Apple. Given the consistent pattern of user complaints, the app risks regulatory action or removal from the App Store if the issues are not addressed.