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Apple Has 'Secret Team' Working on App Store Changes, Including Paid Search Results
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Fact is Apple's reputation as a very secret company is very well known. Yet that said, those of us that have followed Apple closely for years, aren't the least bit surprised that parsing words and using them repeatedly to send a Pro-Apple marketing message is standard practice.
Let's face it: Apple is now just another mediocre tech company like Samsung, Microsoft, HP, etc. I refuse to cling onto its past any longer. It was beautiful.
Des leaving the App Store,
Where I have gone, away from consumer facing software. Embedded systems programing. That means engine controllers, radar systems, digital camera firmware and other stuff that end users don't directly buy or maybe don't even know about. Making money by selling $4 apps only works for a very few who win a lottery
Where I have gone, away from consumer facing software. Embedded systems programing. That means engine controllers, radar systems, digital camera firmware and other stuff that end users don't directly buy or maybe don't even know about. Making money by selling $4 apps only works for a very few who win a lottery
It's a huge industry , app development, and app development for apple is a small part of that.
**** this. This is the opposite of an egalitarian marketplace. This will only increase the divide between the rich app companies that can afford big marketing campaigns and the indie developers barely scraping by. If this is Schiller's idea of "fixing the App Store problem" then he can go **** himself and I will go sell my AAPL stock.
Very greedy move. This type of move is a real kick in the butt for up and coming devs.
It's quite interesting how focused Cooks Apple is on profit, he sure does pretend he cares so much about everybody, while at the end the most important part is $$$$$.
It's quite interesting how focused Cooks Apple is on profit, he sure does pretend he cares so much about everybody, while at the end the most important part is $$$$$.
No. Been tried. Doesn't work.
Massive numbers of developers will just game any "promote updates" system with vast numbers of new looking apps that aren't different from the old ones, plus meaningless updates with useless changes. Swamping the system and thus hiding all the actual new apps. And thus actual good apps most often don't get any more sales.
But paid-for-curation might work. If a dev pays for placement and the app is more of the same cruft, Apple should be free to keep the money and do zero promotion. This rewards innovation backed by a developer willing to put their money where there mouth is ("skin in the game"). The spammers won't risk too much of their own cash on approvable cruft.
Seriously?! Either this rumor is way off or Apple has unfortunately deviated far from where it could and should have been. If they want truly innovative developers to spotlight and be inspired by in updating iOS, this proposal will kill their chances and favor the big names who don't necessarily need the extra exposure.
iAD worked in a similar way, you could pay to promote your app inside other apps.
In the future they'll allow you to pay to get on top of results, maybe in a new view called "editor's pick" or "suggested by Apple"
Yeah is greedy, but publishing app in the store is about making money and paying to promote a product is something you have to do in every market.
In the future they'll allow you to pay to get on top of results, maybe in a new view called "editor's pick" or "suggested by Apple"
Yeah is greedy, but publishing app in the store is about making money and paying to promote a product is something you have to do in every market.
Exactly. Apple's trajectory is waaaaay off. Paid sponsorship does not equal quality product. Paid sponsorship simply means the publisher could afford to promote their subpar wares and shove it into people's faces. The App Store doesn't need more casino style apps.
Away...where else ?
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Apple has assembled a secret team dedicated to exploring potential changes that could be made to the App Store, reports Bloomberg. Among the features being considered is an option that would allow developers to pay a fee to have their apps "more prominently displayed," perhaps at the top of a list of search results. Changes to "improve the way" customers browse in the App Store are also under consideration.Apple is said to have approximately 100 employees working on its App Store project under vice president and former iAd leader Todd Terisi, including engineers who formerly worked on the iAd team. According to sources who spoke to Bloomberg, the search team is relatively new and it is not yet known if and when changes will be introduced to the App Store.
News of work on App Store changes comes four months after Apple made a significant change to App Store leadership, bringing it under the umbrella of Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller instead of iTunes chief Eddy Cue.
App discovery has long been an issue in Apple's App Store. With upwards of 1.8 million apps available in the App Store, it is difficult for users to discover content that isn't available via Apple's featured section or through Top Charts, which often favor big name developers able to spend a lot of money on advertising. Paid discovery via search offers another avenue to help customers find new apps, but it is unlikely to be popular with many of the independent developers that struggle to get their apps noticed.
Apple's last major change to the App Store came in November, introducing significant improvements to App Store search algorithms to return more relevant, intelligent results.
Article Link: Apple Has 'Secret Team' Working on App Store Changes, Including Paid Search Results
Smacks of greed, usery and Apple's insular views. Can only degrade Apple's reputation even further.
Well, lots of other places, just use your imagination. The differentiation between Apple and its competitors is lessening each day, so why should users stay? The answer is users shouldn't stay if this progresses. There are many other places to go. iCloud, App Store etc etc sure these Apple services are nice, BUT they aren't essential.
Improve what? I never search the app store except for a specific name that I found mentioned somewhere else. It's that useless to me.
I used to check out new games regularly, until the interesting stuff got drowned into the deluge of free to play crap, but even back then I didn't use any app store function except searching for a specific name.
I used to check out new games regularly, until the interesting stuff got drowned into the deluge of free to play crap, but even back then I didn't use any app store function except searching for a specific name.
Ive posted this before but I believe its a real problem and maybe someone from Apple will spot this and say something. Visibility is a problem on the App Store and its mostly because of clone / scam apps.
Here is what I am talking about:
There are thousands of minecraft clone apps that don't even work and the screenshots don't match the gameplay or play at all like the description. Apple has even featured some of these although they have nothing but 1 star reviews from people asking for their money back.
Here are a few examples.
NEW HEARTGOLD PIXELMON EDITION - Hunter & Survival Block Mini Game with Multiplayer by Tyrga Demtnon
https://appsto.re/us/Vsrx_.i
Build Battle : Mini Game with Multiplayer by ORGONITE DOO
https://appsto.re/us/FmkJ8.i
These games are making hundreds of not thousands a day simply by false advertisement on the store yet Apple doesn't seem to care.
Take a look at the role-playing and adventure top 150 games list. It is full of these scam apps im assuming all by the same developer just under different names so if one account gets banned they still have other accounts to bring in revenue.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS APPLE IF YOU ARE READING THIS. This is just one example of many... Pleas do a large clean up it makes it very hard to get any visibility on the store when half the apps on the lists are scams....
Here is what I am talking about:
There are thousands of minecraft clone apps that don't even work and the screenshots don't match the gameplay or play at all like the description. Apple has even featured some of these although they have nothing but 1 star reviews from people asking for their money back.
Here are a few examples.
NEW HEARTGOLD PIXELMON EDITION - Hunter & Survival Block Mini Game with Multiplayer by Tyrga Demtnon
https://appsto.re/us/Vsrx_.i
Build Battle : Mini Game with Multiplayer by ORGONITE DOO
https://appsto.re/us/FmkJ8.i
These games are making hundreds of not thousands a day simply by false advertisement on the store yet Apple doesn't seem to care.
Take a look at the role-playing and adventure top 150 games list. It is full of these scam apps im assuming all by the same developer just under different names so if one account gets banned they still have other accounts to bring in revenue.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS APPLE IF YOU ARE READING THIS. This is just one example of many... Pleas do a large clean up it makes it very hard to get any visibility on the store when half the apps on the lists are scams....
Good Gravy, Apple's going for a paid model for App Store rankings....
Pay us money to promote our app on the Home page front and center..... That will be abused in seconds sincle while Apple will get rick quick
(Good for them), Apple will be flooded with all these developers who reckon they should be the most seen.
They still need to realize even now, just because an app is font most doesn't mean u'r more likely to download it..... is it ? depends what it is.
The old model how THEY decide is better and should be kept.
Pay us money to promote our app on the Home page front and center..... That will be abused in seconds sincle while Apple will get rick quick
(Good for them), Apple will be flooded with all these developers who reckon they should be the most seen.They still need to realize even now, just because an app is font most doesn't mean u'r more likely to download it..... is it ? depends what it is.
The old model how THEY decide is better and should be kept.
Why isn't there a proper reporting mechanism for something so simple. Its borders on malware.
Ridiculous right? As far as I know you can only report an app once you have purchased it I don't plan on giving them any of my money for Apple to do nothing.
This seems like a really bad idea...
(... More in line with the spammers that pushed Candy Crush Clan of Titans and its intrusive marketing.)
I can't see how such paid prioritization is in line with Apple's past approaches ... seems unrelated to quality of experience and more of money-grab type thing more in line with Alphabet-practices...
Popular and useful apps without advertising muscle risk being shouldered out by apps with big advertising budgets. Big advertising budgets demands investors. Investors demand control. Losing control of your app risks disaffecting independent developers.
There is a real risk of diminished app vibrancy, variety and a repositioned App Store serving more as an outlet for big budget corporate-developed apps than from diverse, passionate and independent app incubators.
If Apple do this seemingly dumb thing, I hope I get a switch to choose between paid and popular.
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Then take flat revenue*. Apple needs nothing Wall Street has to offer. Dealing with Wall Street is like making a deal with the devil. Don't play their game Apple, because "First rule of The Street is The Street takes care of The Street."
*besides, Apple has said many times before it does things for the long term and doesn't care about short term stock swings.
(... More in line with the spammers that pushed Candy Crush Clan of Titans and its intrusive marketing.)
I can't see how such paid prioritization is in line with Apple's past approaches ... seems unrelated to quality of experience and more of money-grab type thing more in line with Alphabet-practices...
Popular and useful apps without advertising muscle risk being shouldered out by apps with big advertising budgets. Big advertising budgets demands investors. Investors demand control. Losing control of your app risks disaffecting independent developers.
There is a real risk of diminished app vibrancy, variety and a repositioned App Store serving more as an outlet for big budget corporate-developed apps than from diverse, passionate and independent app incubators.
If Apple do this seemingly dumb thing, I hope I get a switch to choose between paid and popular.
[doublepost=1460712187][/doublepost]
Then take flat revenue*. Apple needs nothing Wall Street has to offer. Dealing with Wall Street is like making a deal with the devil. Don't play their game Apple, because "First rule of The Street is The Street takes care of The Street."
*besides, Apple has said many times before it does things for the long term and doesn't care about short term stock swings.
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It seems like an idea to rush towards the bottom. Lots of great unique apps that can not afford a marketing budget to start off will never be discovered if this goes ahead. Bad idea. This is something Google or Facebook specialise in, in the most unappealing way.
First things first. When I type in the exact name of an app, that app should appear at the top of the search results. All too often even a popular app will not appear in the search results at all. Using Google as the easy way to find an App Store listing I want is nonsense.
This is awesome! I've so been waiting for paid search results. I want that more than I want a workable iTunes for sure!
I am getting close to being done with Tim Cook's version of Apple. I just wish there was somewhere else to go, but no one has as many watch bands :\
I am getting close to being done with Tim Cook's version of Apple. I just wish there was somewhere else to go, but no one has as many watch bands :\