App Store is a heavily growing centralized digital platform, connecting millions of businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the world. Generating user trust through quality apps is the core interest of Apple. A multitude of businesses globally benefit from the App Store ecosystem by hosting their enterprise apps on the App Store.
Apple introduced the App Store Improvements process back in 2016 to ensure a great user experience and suggestions from developers and businesses. It intends to remove apps that do not function, do not follow current review guidelines or are outdated. By doing so, Apple ensures all apps work for most users and support their latest innovations and devices in security and privacy. As per the latest news and updates from Apple, more than 2.8 million apps got removed as part of this process in the past six years. It’s a nightmare to know that. So, is your app on the list?
Why does Apple want to ditch your app?
The reason why Apple wants to remove outdated apps is so that it can improve its user experience with quality apps. There are three scenarios in which your app is most likely to be discarded from the App Store. Here’s the list:
If your app does not display in search results, it may be ditched
When outdated apps are removed from the App Store, users will have an easier time finding great apps that meet their needs. As a result, if your app is not performing well, there are higher chances that your app is hard to be discovered in the App Store.
If your app does not meet safety standards, it may be ditched
Apple’s hardware and software continuously evolve, offering new tools and updates to improve performance, security and privacy. If your app does not meet security levels and fails to ensure the safety and security of its users, it is more likely to be removed from the App Store.
If your app does not deliver improved user experience, it may be ditched
Keeping apps up-to-date is an essential criterion that directly affects user experience if neglected. From screen sizes, SDKs, APIs and all the other features on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, it is necessary to ensure your app delivers a great experience being on the App Store.
Why you should take this news seriously?
Apps that haven’t been updated in the past three years and don’t satisfy a minimum download threshold – meaning they haven’t been downloaded at all or only a few times in a rolling 12-month period – will receive an email telling them that their app has been flagged for removal from the App Store.
What happens if you ignore this news?
Apple will undertake strict actions to discard your apps. Apple wants to hold fast quality apps on the App Store and therefore, aims to remove the low performing apps that do not meet the quality criterion. If your app is underperforming, you are in all probability to receive a notification. However, you will be given more time (up to 90 days) to update your apps if needed. Additionally, apps that are removed will continue to function as normal for users who have already downloaded the app on their devices.
Tell us if you need us
At Softweb Solutions, we continuously offer new ways to make it easier for businesses and startups to create and manage new and innovative apps. We can help you update or create new enterprise apps, allowing you to leverage cross-platform capabilities for all devices. These include communication and collaboration apps, mobility management solutions, cloud-based business apps and file hosting services.
We also support you after your app launch, with crash reporting, performance metrics and phased rollouts, allowing you to measure the performance of your apps on the App Store. Click here to learn more about our app modernization services.
