---
title: "App Store Removes Nearly 50,000 Apps in One Month"
locale: "en"
language: "en-HK"
published: "2016-11-25T16:08:35+08:00"
updated: "2026-03-17T23:05:00.600Z"
canonical: "https://accordhk.com/blog/app-store-removes-nearly-50-000-apps-in-one-month-204"
---

# App Store Removes Nearly 50,000 Apps in One Month

Apple's App Store clean-up removed nearly 50,000 apps in October, with games accounting for 28%. The effort targets apps that have not been updated for a long time, are incompatible with newer devices or fail to follow updated guidelines.

## In brief

Apple removed nearly 50,000 apps in October 2016, a 238% increase over the monthly average for the first nine months. The ongoing clean-up targets outdated or non-compliant apps, while the App Store continues to grow.

Apple is currently carrying out a large-scale clean-up of the App Store.

According to figures from a third-party market research company, Apple removed nearly 50,000 apps this past October. The number of removals in October was 3.4 times the monthly average for the first nine months of the year, a substantial increase of 238%.  

。  

Games accounted for 28% of the mobile apps removed. Entertainment and books were the next two categories, each accounting for nearly 9%. Education apps accounted for 7% of removals.

Apple previously cleaned up its app marketplace without a transparent process. This time, however, Apple said it had notified developers that two categories of apps would be targeted: apps that had gone a long time without [updates](<http://app-develo­per-hk.com>); and apps that were incompatible with the latest iPhone and iPad [products](<http://app-develo­pment-hk.c­om>), or that did not comply with the updated [App Store guidelines](<http://mobiledeve­loperhk.co­m>).

It should be noted that even when there are no issues with the [quality of third-party software](<http://app-develo­pment-hong­-kong.com>), Apple's increasingly broad range of mobile devices in recent years has brought frequent changes to screen sizes, interfaces and other features. As a result, even simply to maintain compatibility with new devices, [developers](<http://app-develo­per-hong-k­ong.com>)need to release software updates regularly.

Apple's App Store clean-up is still ongoing, and more apps that have not been updated for a long time are expected to be removed.

The figures suggest that this move will not seriously affect users' experience. The App Store currently has more than two million apps, and around 100,000 new and updated apps are submitted for review every week. In other words, despite Apple removing many apps, the App Store continues to grow.

Also of note, last month Apple introduced [search ads](<http://mobiledeve­loperhongk­ong.com>) to its app marketplace for the first time, with placement determined by bidding. Third-party developers can pay for keywords to secure better positions in search results and increase installations. Developers have reportedly already been buying competitors' keywords, resulting in a competitor appearing first when users search for a well-known app. However, this policy has not yet been implemented in the App Store in mainland China.

 

http://www.hksilicon.com/articles/1221953

## Frequently asked questions

### How many apps did Apple remove in October 2016?

Apple removed nearly 50,000 apps, according to a third-party market research company. This was 3.4 times the monthly average for the first nine months of the year, an increase of 238%.

### Which apps were targeted by the clean-up?

Apple targeted apps that had not been updated for a long time, apps incompatible with the latest iPhone and iPad products, and apps that did not follow the updated App Store guidelines.

### Which category accounted for the largest share of removed apps?

Games accounted for 28% of removals. Entertainment and books each accounted for nearly 9%, while education accounted for 7%.

### Was the clean-up expected to seriously affect users?

The article's figures suggested that users would not be seriously affected. The App Store had more than two million apps, with around 100,000 new and updated apps submitted for review each week, and continued to grow despite the removals.

### How did the search ads described in the article work?

Developers could pay for keywords to gain better positions in search results and increase installations. The article reported that some were buying competitors' keywords, but the policy had not yet been implemented in mainland China's App Store.