A few days agoApple was notifying developers that apps that haven’t seen an update for a while will be removed from the App Store shortly.
App creators did not wait long before expressing their dissatisfaction on social networks in particular, with regard to this measure.
It is true that Apple’s communication on this subject was not the most skilful, lacking precision as to the conditions of application.
Apple clarifies the conditions of removal from the App Store
The Californian firm therefore clarified the matter more recently. In its latest press publication, we learn the following points:
- The applications targeted are those that have not been updated for 3 years or more
- There is an exception to this rule: if the app is 3 years old or more, but in the last 12 months it has experienced a sufficient number of downloadsthen it will not be deleted
- However, Apple did not specify what this number of download limits is.
- The Californian firm will alert developers of applications detected as too old
- From this alert, developers will then have 90 days to offer a new update to their app (this period was 30 days when Apple first announced this)
- When an outdated app is removed from the App Store, users who installed it on their iOS device before it was removed can still use it
Remember, the idea of the Cupertino company with this new procedure is to make the App Store both safer, but also more relevant for users. Safer, because the developers, to update their app, must meet App Store criteria in terms of security. More relevant, because the app store tends to only offer apps that are regularly maintained by their developers.
What do you think of this measure? Do you fear for some of your applications, a little too old, but still useful?
