Apple Puts App Developers on Notice – Stop Juicing Your Ratings
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After a developer uncovered a major fraud ring that uses bots to drive app downloads leading to high rankings in the Top Free Apps list in the App Store, Apple went on the offensive and sent a warning to developers not to use unscrupulous practices to gain App Store rank.
One app marketing company used these bot downloads to earn top 25 spots for a total of eight different apps, including freemium games like Tiny Pets, Social Girl, and Fluff friends. This problem has existed for quite some time, and while Apple has banned apps using these tactics in the past, public knowledge of the problem has encouraged the Cupertino-based company to enforce its anti-fraud rules.
Apple’s new warning contains some strongly worded suggestions that engaging in the manipulation of App Store rankings might not be such a good idea:
Once you build a great app, you want everyone to know about it. However, when you promote your app, you should avoid using services that advertise or guarantee top placement in App Store charts. Even if you are not personally engaged in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews, employing services that do so on your behalf may result in the loss of your Apple Developer Program membership.
This is no idle threat. Apple has not hesitated to ban apps in the past; Most recently, the company removed Temple Jump, a blatant copy of the very popular Temple Run game.
Landing a Top 25 spot is a dream for most app developers, because it can make or break an app. An app in the list can quickly gain popularity and notoriety, while an app that doesn’t make the list may remain largely unknown.
There’s no way that Apple’s warning will completely end unsavory promotion tactics in the App Store’s rankings, but the stricter rules may shut out some of the more egregious offenders.
