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Apple Seemingly Removing 'Outdated' Apps From the App Store
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Would you want to convert this community and it's conversations to phone calls and SMS? The kind of communications with a diverse and large number of friends that you get on Facebook is much closer to a forum like this than just messaging a friend to go to a movie. I have friends across the planet some of which I've known for 5 or 6 decades. It is hard to manage that with one-on-one channels like sms and phone calls.
As great as the iOS App Store is, this is one major reason they've had devs abandon that platform.
Except these are mostly developers who are not putting any recent effort into their apps. Would they put more effort into setting up their own app distribution? Would any users want to use such an alternate system?
There are a lot of ways to deal with older and/or not updated Apps
"removing them" is literally the worst choice
(But easiest for Apple -- it's all about cost saving and money making for them, as usual)
Bring on side loading please!
"removing them" is literally the worst choice
(But easiest for Apple -- it's all about cost saving and money making for them, as usual)
Bring on side loading please!
i agree some apps just need to go they no longer work or resolutions are all wrong. I have no issue with this either. there is an app that I use that might be under the gun, but i think its abandoned. AirVideoHD. love the app but the development just took nosedive abruptly. there was talk about updating the server side of the app you need but then nothing. i hate to see it go but...
No, there’s not likely anything written 10 years ago that’s written in a way that, without a recompile, would run most efficiently on today’s devices. If a paid app requires care, that care is required from the developer. If you’ve bought it, you keep it. All Apple’s doing is saying that if you’re still accepting money from customers, recompile and post.
The Mac will be long gone before they’d even think about removing that option.
No data mining? THAT you absolutely don’t know.
In fact, it could be that the reason why these apps haven’t updated is that they’d have to update that privacy sheet and put in all the many ways they’re tracking you!You’re absolutely right. They have those options but no need to take away a huge solution for them because “you” don’t like it or think it’s uncool.
As i already explained in an other thread, this is part of their anticompetitive practices, good that sideloading will be enforced.
Thats all on purpose…
Let me „try“ to simplify Apples anticompetitive dependency hell with fictive versions.
Apple releases iOS10 + XCode 10, and set up a rule that Devs must renew the App certificate with a new App upload from time to time.
Time passes and later they define that new App updates must be done with Xcode 13, and at the same time they remove the iOS10 SDK from Xcode 13.
That means, that all devices which got iOS10 as their last OS update becomes incompatible with the newer enforced App versions. Remember, that devs are not allowed to update an App with an older Xcode than 13 anymore.
Devs are dragged by Apple into a corner where, if they update the App, older users can’t download this App anymore.
So the Dev choose to leave the older legacy App till its certificate expires in AppStore to not instantly upset users of older iDevices, and sometime later this Apple „Dev friendly reminder“ arrives by email into the Devs inbox.
This leads to people buying more iPhones, because their favorite App disappeared or became incompatible with their „old working“ iDevice, a.k.a. planed obsolescence. This also enforces Devs to release „with older devices“ incompatible Apps, and makes sure they can’t continue supporting owners of these still working older iDevices. To achieve their goal even better, they sign iOS updates and stop signing older versions, to stop users from rolling back to older iOS versions.
A anticompetitive dependency hell, and thats only the top of the mountain!
Thats all on purpose…
Let me „try“ to simplify Apples anticompetitive dependency hell with fictive versions.
Apple releases iOS10 + XCode 10, and set up a rule that Devs must renew the App certificate with a new App upload from time to time.
Time passes and later they define that new App updates must be done with Xcode 13, and at the same time they remove the iOS10 SDK from Xcode 13.
That means, that all devices which got iOS10 as their last OS update becomes incompatible with the newer enforced App versions. Remember, that devs are not allowed to update an App with an older Xcode than 13 anymore.
Devs are dragged by Apple into a corner where, if they update the App, older users can’t download this App anymore.
So the Dev choose to leave the older legacy App till its certificate expires in AppStore to not instantly upset users of older iDevices, and sometime later this Apple „Dev friendly reminder“ arrives by email into the Devs inbox.
This leads to people buying more iPhones, because their favorite App disappeared or became incompatible with their „old working“ iDevice, a.k.a. planed obsolescence. This also enforces Devs to release „with older devices“ incompatible Apps, and makes sure they can’t continue supporting owners of these still working older iDevices. To achieve their goal even better, they sign iOS updates and stop signing older versions, to stop users from rolling back to older iOS versions.
A anticompetitive dependency hell, and thats only the top of the mountain!
Bingo, and a reason those of that wouldn't normally use a different store, to use third party stores. It's like Apple wants us to fight their monopoly powers.
Judging by recent iOS update history and how Apple handles their own software (intentionally break features that works and provide update to fix later), I say this move bs af but not unheard of.
People seems to not enjoy software that is stable, with good quality and thoughtful anymore, weird Huh? What a huge reverse of nowadays homebrew vintage computer development scene, where quality and bug-free is the key to win customers.
People seems to not enjoy software that is stable, with good quality and thoughtful anymore, weird Huh? What a huge reverse of nowadays homebrew vintage computer development scene, where quality and bug-free is the key to win customers.
What Apple doesn't understand is that its customer base is NOT just minnions who naively believe that every app needs Internet access and daily updates. And many couldn't care less about blockblaster games that will=can only be played for a few months until they get obselete because something practically identical got released.
How will sideloading help. These are already app where no one bothered to update them. How likely are they to setup a process to make them available for sideloading? I think you are conflating two issues. These are not apps that Apple has banned from the store. They are mostly abandoned apps.
As a user it's frustrating to purchase an app (some costing $20+) just to have Apple yank it because the Dev disappeared or failed to update his gear to the latest XCode, especially when the app could still run.
As a developer I like the idea. There are quite a few dead apps crowding the App Store that were good ideas (that I can now 'resurrect' and expand on).
As a developer I like the idea. There are quite a few dead apps crowding the App Store that were good ideas (that I can now 'resurrect' and expand on).
I'm fine with Apple cleaning up broken abandonware from the AppStore but sometimes apps just work and don't need to be updated once development is completed.
Well, isn't "cost/benefit" not being there a more cogent rationale?
(or at least a part of the reason)
Doing work on Apps is expensive -- updating them just for the sake of it doesn't usually pencil.
This is why people should be able to sideload apps.
Apple appears to be removing a large number of apps from the App Store that have not been updated for "a significant amount of time" (via The Verge).
According to an "App Improvement Notice" email sent to affected developers, Apple is removing apps that have "not been updated in a significant amount of time" unless developers issue an update within 30 days: The notice has been met with concern from some developers, such as Protopop Games developer Robert Kabwe. Kabwe says on Twitter that Apple is threatening to his game, "Motivoto," since it has not been updated since March 2019. Kosta Eleftheriou, the developer of the FlickType Apple Watch keyboard, highlighted that while Apple took down a version of his app because it has not been updated in two years, the once-popular game "Pocket God" remains available despite it not being updated since 2015.
The sense of concern has been echoed by several other developers on Twitter who have also received App Improvement Notices, with developers highlighting that they simply have not had enough time to update their apps and that some apps exist as "completed objects," and therefore do not require "updates or a live service model."
Apple's App Store Improvements page states:
Apple has been known to remove apps that have not been updated for some time from the App Store before, but it is not clear if this policy has been continuously or consistently enforced. It is also unknown what exactly Apple determines "a significant amount of time" to be, and whether it relates to compatibility with the latest version of iOS or time elapsed since the last update.
Article Link: Apple Seemingly Removing 'Outdated' Apps From the App Store
I’m just really glad I don’t find myself in a position where I feel I MUST use a product I hate using.
I like this idea.
Developer: WAAAAH! Apple’s going to remove my app if I don’t update it! MY ARTWOREK!
Apple: Tell you what, we’ll put your app in the Museum section and keep it updated without affecting the way it works/looks. Just designate your app as abandonware and we’ll take on the upkeep. And, for any users that buy it, we’ll take that money to keep it updated.
How would side loading help with apps that have been abandoned?