Haunted apps removed from the App Store

Apple has started clearing out old apps in the App Store

Keeping its promise, Apple started removing old and outdated apps from the App Store. At the same time, it is sending messages to developers ringing the bell to those who rarely update their apps.

Specifically, Apple's letter to developers states:

"We have noticed that your application has not been updated for a significant period of time."

To keep their apps in the App Store, Apple requires developers to submit updates for review within 30 days.

After 30 days, Apple will remove obsolete apps "until they are updated and approved".

If some apps are removed, they will continue to be fully functional for those users who have downloaded them and already have them on their device. They will still be able to make in-app purchases and will still be able to re-download the app after a system reset or a back up in iTunes.

Apple has already begun since September 7 to "clean" the App Store from badly maintained applications, zombie applications, abandoned applications that no longer work. In addition, those apps that do not follow the iOS development guidelines will also be removed.

Finally, Apple no longer accepts comments and updates for apps with names longer than 50 characters, because it has been found that some developers have resorted to using extremely long names in a "sneaky" attempt to influence App Store search results.

Note that there are currently 2 million apps on the App Store. Since its debut in 2008, developers have earned billions of dollars from their app revenue, but it seems many apps were abandoned along the way.

Read also: "App Store and search: Search smartly for apps in the Apple Store"

From mirelen