Apple has started removing apps that have not received updates for a while from the App Store, according to leaks shared by an independent game developer on Twitter. The company warns developers via email that their app scheduled for removal has not been updated for an extended period and will be removed within 30 days.
The email states: "You can keep this app available for new users to discover and download from the App Store by submitting an update for the app within 30 days. If no update is submitted within 30 days, the app will be removed from the store."
According to game developer Robert Kabwe, Apple's decision is arbitrary and illogical, as it removed his game "Flick Type," which catered to the visually impaired community, because he had not updated it in two years. Kabwe shared screenshots of the game "Pocket Good," which showed that it had not been updated for nearly seven years without being deleted.
A page titled "App Store Improvements" on Apple’s website indicates that the company is "implementing a continuous process to evaluate apps, removing those that no longer function as intended, do not comply with current review guidelines, or have become outdated." The page also states that developers will be required to submit an update within 30 days to keep their app in the App Store, as reported by the Indian Express.
