Apple has simply printed an interesting peek behind the scenes of the App Retailer, revealing simply what number of apps the corporate critiques on an annual foundation — and what number of of these it rejects for numerous causes.
The info comes from Apple’s 2022 App Retailer Transparency Report, a doc that it agreed to start publishing in 2021 as a part of a class-action settlement with a gaggle of builders.
In placing a optimistic spin on the choice, Apple mentioned it “agreed to create an annual transparency report primarily based on that information, which can share significant statistics concerning the app evaluation course of, together with the variety of apps rejected for various causes, the variety of buyer and developer accounts deactivated, goal information relating to search queries and outcomes, and the variety of apps faraway from the App Retailer.”
Now it seems that Apple is fulfilling that promise with its new transparency report, and the information gives some fascinating insights into what number of apps Apple’s evaluation group really needed to cope with in 2022.
First up, the whole variety of apps on the App Retailer in 2022 was 1,783,232. Nonetheless, throughout that very same yr, Apple additionally rejected 1,679,694 app submissions.
To be clear, every “app submission” doesn’t essentially characterize a person app. Within the high quality print, Apple notes that “Apps could also be submitted to App Assessment a number of instances earlier than they’re accepted for launch on the App Retailer.” It additionally presumably consists of updates to present apps, which should additionally go by way of the App Retailer evaluation group.
Whereas 1.6 million rejections sounds a bit harsh, it’s essential to place that within the added context of the 6,101,913 complete submissions reviewed. This implies Apple rejected round 27% of all app submissions to the App Retailer. Nonetheless, not all of those had been everlasting rejections — builders can repair the problems and resubmit their apps, and protracted sufficient builders ought to finally get an approval, offered they’re not attempting to push by way of an app that flagrantly violates the App Retailer Pointers.
The overwhelming majority of apps probably fell into this class, as Apple notes that 1,018,416 app submissions had been rejected for non-compliance with App Retailer efficiency tips. These can embrace every little thing from apps that appear incomplete, unfinished, or in a “beta” stage to people who “quickly drain battery, generate extreme warmth, or put pointless pressure on gadget sources.”
One other 92,598 app submissions had been rejected for Security causes. This consists of apps that include “objectionable content material” equivalent to hate speech, excessive violence, pornography, or “false data and options,” in addition to those who might encourage customers to threat bodily hurt to themselves or mishandle a consumer’s information.
There have been 152,391 app submissions rejected for not complying with Enterprise tips, which typically cowl inappropriate use of in-app purchases and subscriptions, from attempting to rip-off customers with deceptive or misleading in-app purchases to people who try to bypass Apple’s fee system. Nonetheless, apps will also be rejected on this class merely for not being clear sufficient about what an in-app subscription gives or the way it works. In such instances, builders can be suggested what to right and will hopefully repair it and get their app accepted on re-submission.
There have been additionally 212,464 rejections for failing to stick to the mandatory Design tips, which incorporates “copycat apps” and those who aren’t notably helpful, equivalent to advertising supplies, “digital enterprise card” apps, and books or music being distributed as an app.
Lastly, Apple rejected 441,972 submissions within the Authorized class, which typically covers the shortage of correct privateness insurance policies for delicate data like well being and monetary information, not adhering to guidelines relating to the gathering of data from youngsters, and mental property violations.
App Removals
Apple additionally reported eradicating 186,195 apps from the App Retailer final yr, with essentially the most outstanding classes being Video games (38,883) and Utilities (20,045). Of the whole variety of apps eliminated, 149,378 had been pulled for violating App Retailer Design tips, whereas 32,009 had been eliminated for fraud.
Of these, 1,474 apps had been faraway from the App Retailer on account of “authorities takedown calls for,” and, not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of these calls for got here from China — 1,435 in complete.
Nonetheless, that is probably not as sinister because it sounds. Within the high quality print, Apple notes that “There have been 1276 sport apps eliminated for lack of a legally required GRN license.” That is one thing that’s been an ongoing downside in China, and appears to be extra of an financial problem than a political one.
There have been additionally 14 apps eliminated in India, 10 in Pakistan, and seven in Russia, on the request of every of these international locations’ governments. Nonetheless, as Apple explains, these apps are solely eliminated in these international locations’ App Shops; they’ll stay on sale elsewhere.
Builders and Prospects
In 2022, Apple reported 36,974,015 lively registered builders and 428,487 accounts terminated for violations of the Developer Licence Program Settlement (DLPA). 428,249 of those had been as a consequence of fraud, whereas the remaining 238 had been associated to “export management” points. 3,338 of those had been appealed, and 159 had been restored on account of these appeals.
Apple additionally terminated over 1 / 4 of a billion App Retailer buyer accounts in 2022 — a staggering 282,036,628 accounts. It doesn’t provide any specifics on why these had been terminated, however they had been probably associated to fraudulent transactions, equivalent to accounts set as much as make the most of reward card scams. Apple provides that it prevented over two billion {dollars} ($2,090,195,480) in fraudulent transactions on the App Retailer.
The report additionally reveals that Apple had a mean of 656,739,889 App Retailer guests per week throughout 2022, with a mean of 747,873,877 apps downloaded for the primary time every week and 1,539,274,266 apps being redownloaded every week. Nonetheless, that pales in comparison with the 40 billion automated app updates that happen every week.
Apple’s full 2022 App Retailer Transparency Report might be considered right here.