Apple’s App Store is getting rid of old apps.

Apple has sent out emails to developers telling them that if their apps are obsolete, don’t follow current review rules, or don’t work as intended, they will be removed from the App Store.

“Apps in all categories on the App Store will be evaluated to make sure they function as expected, follow current review guidelines, and are not outdated,” the tech giant wrote on an App Store Improvements support page. “The App Store team will contact you and ask you to make any necessary changes for your app to stay on the App Store. However, apps that crash on launch will be removed immediately from the App Store.”

Before their apps are removed from the App Store, developers will have 30 days to submit an update. App updates produced outside of the deadline will need to be approved before they can be re-published on the App Store. Users will not suffer any service interruptions and will still be able to make in-app purchases if their apps are removed.

Motivoto by Protopop Games is one of the apps affected by the policy.

“I feel sick. Apple just sent me an email saying they’re removing my free game Motivoto because its more than 2 years old. It’s part of their App improvement system,” Protopop Games developer Robert Kabwe tweeted. “This is not cool. Console games from 2000 are still available for sale. This is an unfair barrier to indie devs.”

I feel sick. Apple just sent me an email saying they’re removing my free game Motivoto because its more than 2 years old.

It’s part of their App improvement system.

This is not cool. Console games from 2000 are still available for sale.

This is an unfair barrier to indie devs. pic.twitter.com/7XNcLfiEcR

Advertisement

— Protopop Games (@protopop) April 23, 2022

Yup. This just happened to me too!
Removed my app because I haven’t updated in 2 years, even it’s still getting downloads and running on all devices.
It’s hard to take time away from current projects to update old ones, just to keep them alive on the store.

Advertisement

— BobbyW (@BobBDub) April 23, 2022

I received an email this morning saying the same about one of my apps, it hasn’t got any crash reports, still gets downloads after 5 years, doesn’t need a v2 and Apple decide it’s time to go 🤷‍♂️ due to swift version changes I don’t have time to push a meaningful change

— Simon Barker (@allthecode_) April 23, 2022

Two creators who received the same email stated they haven’t had time to update their older games, while another said the policy isn’t being implemented uniformly, citing the game Pocket God, which hasn’t been updated since 2015 and is still available on the App Store.

The strategy was dubbed “utterly unhinged” by one critic, while another said it was implemented to maintain “a monopoly on mobile app distribution.” Some have advocated for the policy to be amended, as well as for Apple to enhance its developer communications.

The policy was implemented for the first time in 2016. Apple representatives declined to comment.

Apple isn’t the only company undergoing transformations. Beginning Nov. 1, 2022, the Google Play Store will restrict existing apps from being discovered or installed if they “don’t target an API level within two years of the latest major Android release version.”

“Users with the latest devices or those who are fully caught up on Android updates expect to realize the full potential of all the privacy and security protections Android has to offer,” Android product management director Krish Vitaldevara said in a blog post. “Expanding our target level API requirements will protect users from installing older apps that may not have these protections in place.”

Android developers can request a six-month extension if they need additional time to update their apps.