Developers Complain That Apple Is Removing Outdated Apps From App Store

screenrant.com:

As part of a change in its App Store policy, Apple is removing apps that haven't been updated in a long time. Apple's App Store is one of the largest repositories for apps and games globally, with more than a million apps that users can download on their iPhones and iPads. The apps include various games, streaming services, social media platforms, productivity suites, photography-related software, and more.

Apple opened the App Store in 2008 with a mere 500 apps before expanding it exponentially over the next decade. The total number of apps hit a high of 2.2 million a few years ago, but Apple has since removed thousands of 32-bit applications and other apps that do not follow the App Store guidelines. While Apple generally does a good job of maintaining the App Store and keeping it free from defunct apps, its latest policy is now coming under fire from indie developers.

Related: Apple's App Store Has A Serious Problem

Several developers are complaining about Apple's latest App Store policy to remove apps that haven't received updates in a long time. In an email sent to affected developers, the company reportedly said it would remove apps that haven’t been «updated in a significant amount of time.» The email also noted that developers with outdated apps would have only 30 days to update them before being removed from the App Store. In an official post on its support site, Apple confirmed the reports, which said the new policy will ensure that apps available on the App Store «are functional and up-to-date.» The post, named 'App Store Improvements,' further claimed that the company will only remove apps that " no longer function as intended, don’t follow current review guidelines, or are outdated."

One affected developer