Earlier this month Google informed developers that apps deemed out of date would be hidden from view in the Play Store, with the company citing the desire to gives its users the best app experience possible.

While that is indeed a polarising reason to force updates, it looks like Apple is adopting a similar approach, with some developers receiving emails regarding their apps over the weekend.

More specifically said email explained that apps would be removed from the App Store should they not be updated within the next 30 days.

“You can keep this app available for new users to discover and download from the App Store by submitting an update for review in 30 days. If no update is submitted in 30 days, the app will be removed from sale,” an email titled App Improvement Notice read.

The company also clarified in the mail that non-updated apps would be removed in 30 days, but those that had been previously downloaded, would still be made available to users.

Unlike Google, which cited privacy and security concerns regarding the updating of apps, Apple has failed to provide further explanation on the motivation for this decision at the time of writing.

As such, it will likely have to deal with some blowback from developers until a full statement is forthcoming.

For now, Apple’s position on the improvement of apps is this, “We are implementing an ongoing process of evaluating apps, removing apps that no longer function as intended, don’t follow current review guidelines, or are outdated.”

Given that some apps might be out of date according to Apple’s standards, but remain fully functioning and regularly downloading on the marketplace, will likely be a bone of contention.

That said, it looks like neither Apple, nor Google, or switching stance on this matter.

[Source – The Verge]