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Why Apple needs to evict old and unsupported App Store apps

Apple’s recently announced plan to get rid of unloved older apps from the App Store may have annoyed some developers, but with more than 1 million abandoned apps littered across Google’s and Apple’s App Stores, the evidence supports the decision.

What Apple said about its plans

In an April note to developers, Apple warned that it intends to begin removing old apps that have not been updated for three or more years and have seen few downloads in the preceding 12 months.

“We are implementing an ongoing process of evaluating apps, removing apps that no longer function as intended, don’t follow current review guidelines, or are outdated,” the company said.

Developers immediately began to complain about the policy, with one of the strongest arguments being that a minority of apps that are no longer updated can be seen as some form of digital artwork caught in time.

Stung by the criticism, Apple later clarified its approach. It explained that it has been following this policy since 2016 and that it has so far removed 2.8 million apps that no longer function as intended, don’t follow current review guidelines, or are simply outdated.

The company also explained that developers can appeal the planned removals and extended the length of time before removals take place to 90 days, which should give even smaller developers some chance to bring their app into line with Apple’s requirements.

Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc.


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