there is an app in my updates that i have never purchased

Get out of appstore. Then go to the part of the scrren on yourphone where the unwanted app is and hold it with your finger until the apps wiggle and then tap on the cross about the app you want gone and delete it

Just delete the app like I said

OK I get you. You are saying that in the app store there is a mention of an update for an app that you do not recognise. All I can think of is this. The apps that you might download are apple ID specific. So on my computer when I log in with my apple id in itunes and view apps that might be available for upgrade ther might be say 8 of them. When I am logged in with my ID and I update the apps there might be 5 apps that update and three remain. Those apps are probably not mine because they are not on my phone and I dont recognise them. If I log out of my apple id in the app store and log in with my wife's apple ID it might show that those three apps are available for her to update becaus ethey are associated with her ID. Once they are updated using her ID, if I then log out and log back in with my ID chances are it will show that there are no apps to update.

My guess is someone else has used your computer and has downloaded apps from the app store with a different id from yours and that appis probably the one you mentioned.

Does all that make sense?

I have the same problem with the same app, motionx gps drive, I'm the only one on my laptop and I don't use other computers. The app showed up for an update today and it's not on my iPad, iPod Touch or in iTunes, because I never purchased it. It looks like the only way to get all my updates done is to purchase this app. I don't have phone capabilities on any device. I can't get rid of it and by now I have so many updates it will take for ever to update the ones listed under that update. Please help mistermcfarland and others with this problem. I just restored my iPad and got all my apps back on it.

mistermcfarland,

Have you tried syncing with your iTunes on your computer?

Sync your iPhone with iTunes.

I just restored my iPad and got all my apps back on it.

What does that have to do with your issue?

I also have this issue, and with the same app (cf. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4686806?answerId=20857851022#20857851022 ). Seeing as there's several of us all having problems with copies of MotionX GPS Drive that we don't own, I assumed that the problem was at least somewhat related to that app and have submitted a support request to MotionX asking that they contribute to one or more of these threads. We'll see if they follow up.

Here is a link to an issue that is similar, but not quite the same behavior. I do think it has something to do with the app store, because while searching I noticed that the Mac App store had a lot of issues with updates shown to users who did not own the app.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2250889?answerId=10685475022#10685475022

I've done everything, deleted the app, restored my ipad, sync with iTunes and it kept coming back. I deleted it from iTunes and my computer an double checked the iTunes folder to make sure it was gone. Emptied the trash and restarted my computer. I have done this several times. Finally I did a search in the App Store to bring up the app and updated it there. I didn't get an error message but I ended up buying it. But that didn't stop it from showing up in the list of updates. I still can't get rid of it from the update list but now it says open so it doesn't bother my updates. I really want to get rid of that motion x GPS drive app once and for all. iTunes Store can't seem to help and neither did the app maker. Maybe if everyone sent them their complaints maybe they would listen. The time that I ended up buying it I had around 80 apps to update. I shouldn't of had to buy it in the first place.

I find it funny that Apple is the one in charge of the app store and they handle all transactions for developers. Which in turn means that they also control the app store. Since app developers submit to them and they are the ones that make the app available through the app store to everyone on the app store. So them saying that they can't do anything to help is mind blowing to me.

I would imagine it should be easy for them to figure out why you started receiving this app update, since this is their own system. My guess is that Apple doesn't want to admit to something being wrong in the app store that only affects a small user base.

The only other thing I can think of is that maybe someone in your household has the app and synced with your iTunes and some how that has flagged the app on your account.

I have recently started having the same problem on my iPad2. It is the same app (MotionX GPS Drive) and I most assuredly have never downloaded the app on any device, nor has anyone else had access to any of my devices. It only shows up for my iPad and not for my iPhone. The issue started just a week or two ago for me and I cannot remove it from the Updates area by any means, nor can I update the app since I did not purchase it.