Apple has issued a press release effectively saying that nobody was downloading the apps anyways. Recently, developers complained about how Apple threatened to remove their apps from the app store because they had n’t been updated in a’significant amount of time’.

The notice, released on Friday evening, reads in part:::”I’m not going to die”. The notice was released by the office on Friday night.

Developers of apps that have not been updated within the last three years receive an email notifying them that their app has been identified for possible removal from the app store.

Other developers shared similar experiences on Twitter. They said the amount of time they were given to make changes was unfair to indie developers.

Lazer-walker argued that games should be allowed to be finished, and that they can still be valuable without being a service. kabwe pointed out that you can still buy console games from the 2000s.

I know the world expects growth and change forever (for free). But sometimes the software is done and it ships and that’s the end of the story.

Apple’s explanation does clear up why it seemed to apply the rules inconsistently. Some developers noted that pocket God, a popular game from the iPhone’s early days, has n’t been updated for seven years but is still on the app store.

Apple says it removes old apps to ensure’user trust in quality apps’. If an app is problematic because it’s outdated, more downloads would make a bigger issue.

Apple says it does n’t want the app store cluttered with apps that developers and users have forgotten about. It has enough problems making it easy for users to find good apps as it is.