Yesterday I told you that some developers of applications for the iOS platform have used so-called "virtual robot farms" to ensure that their applications reach the top of the most downloaded applications in the App Store as quickly as possible. Until now, several developers have managed to promote their applications in this way, but Apple has indirectly recognized that certain people are manipulating the charts in the App Store and has issued a warning for developers. In the portal dedicated to developers on the Apple.com website, the company from Cupertino published a message warning developers that promoting applications through services that guarantee growth in the charts could lead to the deletion of their account.
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 the 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. Get helpful tips and resources on marketing your apps the right way from the App Store Resource Center.
Practically, Apple indirectly confirmed that everything I said yesterday is true and that at the moment the charts of the most downloaded free and paid applications have nothing to do with reality, being influenced by companies that use virtual robots to propel various applications to the first places in those charts. It's hard to say if Apple will manage to solve the problem in time or if the world will start to lose faith in the App Store system, but we'll see how things unfold in the future.
