Apple tweaks App Store layout amid developer unrest

AppleInsider may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made through links on our site.

Faced with criticism over the way it's been grouping applications on the digital shelves of the App Store, Apple this week is making some changes to the store's layout aimed at showcasing a broader range of top offerings in each category.

TouchMeme's Krishna Vegesna tipped AppleInsider off to the overnight design tweaks, which "accomplished three important things," according to the iPhone app developer. First, he said, Apple now highlights the most popular applications on each category page.

As part of this new grouping, the Cupertino-based company has also separated the most popular Free Apps — which previously dominated the most popular listings — from most popular Paid Apps, breaking each out into separate sidebar modules that flank the general listings for each category. In addition, the new layout is more consistent in design with the AppStore application on the iPhone, Vegesna noted.

"I am excited to see the change. My Apps are listed under the top paid apps for the Travel category," he said. "Flight Status is at No 3 and Currency Exchange is at No 9. Two out of top 10 is not bad, I guess for this category."

Earlier this week, Twitteriffic developer Craig Hockenberry wrote an open letter to Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, pointing out that developers have been lowering their App prices to the lowest possible level in order to obtain favorable placement in the App Store.

"This proliferation of 99 cent 'ringtone apps' is affecting our product development," he said. "We have a lot of great ideas for iPhone applications. Unfortunately, weâ€™re not working on the cooler (and more complex) ideas. Instead, weâ€™re working on 99Â¢ titles that have a limited lifespan and broad appeal. Market conditions [on the App Store] make ringtone apps most appealing."

While Friday's changes may not solve all of developers' problems, Vegesna said he believes Apple "now truly understands the software as a service model and is enhancing the [App Store] every week (in some cases, multiple times a week)."

"AppStore is getting better and the focus is now shifting more towards better apps," he added. "Keep it coming Apple."

💬 34 Comments

dguisinger

said about 14 years ago

They really need to break games down into subcategories in my opinion. That category is getting too large.

afishertx

said about 14 years ago

On the user (consumer) end I would like a feature in iTunes where I can arrange the icons and apps on each screen of my device all at one time instead of the hold it down and move the wiggly icons one at a time. Just my two cents.

archipellago

said about 14 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by afishertx

The app store has just become a mess with thousands of apps, 99% of which are either useless, crippled or just plain stupid.

the limited number of good apps just get buried in with the rest.

adjei

said about 14 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archipellago

The app store has just become a mess with thousands of apps, 99% of which are either useless, crippled or just plain stupid.

the limited number of good apps just get buried in with the rest.

What may be useless to you is good for someone else.

ktappe

said about 14 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by afishertx

I agree with this idea--the arrangement method on the phone now, while cute, is not user-friendly. I put one icon where I want it and another gets forced away from where I wanted it. It feels like a sliding tile game, except I'm not always interested in playing. \