Apple is set to make changes to the App Store, removing abandoned software and forcing developers to use shorter names for their creations.
In a letter to its development community, the company said the “suggestions”, which come into effect from 7 September, will help iPhone and iPad owners find apps that better suit their needs.
It argues that by eliminating unsupported creations and shortening titles, consumers will receive greater assurances of quality and find it easier to discover apps – not least because some developers are using long titles to try and trick the App Store search engine.
“However, there are also apps on the App Store that no longer function as intended or follow current review guidelines, and others which have not been supported with compatibility updates for a long time. We are implementing an ongoing process of evaluating apps for these issues, notifying their developers, and removing problematic and abandoned apps from the App Store.
“Search is one of the most frequently used methods for customers to discover and download apps from the App Store. In hopes of influencing search results, some developers have used extremely long app names which include descriptions and terms not directly related to their app. These long names are not fully displayed on the App Store and provide no user value. App names you submit in iTunes Connect for new apps and updates will now be limited to no longer than 50 characters.”
Apple has taken a more hands on approach to its marketplace than Google, with each submission subject to a review process. This curation in theory makes the App Store more secure than Google Play, which has frequently been subject to security threats such as fake apps.
There are now more than two million applications on the App Store with 100,000 new and updated apps submitted each week.
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