Apple recently changed its App Store rules to delist apps that have not been updated for a substantial period of time. This led many developers to express dissatisfaction since their apps do not require regular updating in order to function properly. Apple has responded to those developers in a press release, saying that if their app has been taken down due to this, it probably deserved so.
In the release, the Cupertino-based giant said that as part of the “App Store Improvement" process, developers of apps that have not been updated in the last three years and fail to meet the minimal download threshold – meaning the app has not been downloaded at all or extremely few times during a rolling 12 month period – receive an email notifying them that the app has been identified for possible removal from the Apple App Store.
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Several developers had earlier reported to be getting this email, saying that Apple has given them 30 days to update their apps in order to avoid removal. Developers on Twitter also shared similar experiences on Twitter, saying that the policy, and the amount of time that was given to make changes was unfair.
Sometimes software is done. I know the World expects growth and change and improvement forever (for free) but sometimes the software is done and it ships and that's the end of the story.'Old' and 'stable' are not failure states. On the contrary — they indicate success. https://t.co/ELEzf1jjOj
— arclight (@arclight) April 24, 2022
Apple‘s release, however, does clear up why the rules are being applied inconsistently. For example, a popular game named Pocket God on iPhone hasn’t been updated since the last seven years, but it still exists on the App Store. Apple says that it is still up because its hugely popular.
Apple’s decision to remove older apps came with the idea of de-cluttering the App Store with apps that both developers and users have forgotten about.
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Apple has, in its release, however, said that any developer who receives the email about app not being updated, will have 90 days instead of 30 to update their apps if they want to keep them on the Apple App Store. It seems Apple is only interested in keeping apps that are still relevant and popular.
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