App Store shuffle brings long-awaited speed boost for developers

It now takes an average of 1.95 days for App Store reviewers to approve new app submissions for sale, according to data collated by AppReviewTimes.com. That is down from nearly 9 days at this time last year and 5 days in December.

The changes, noted by Bloomberg, are believed to be part of a broader push to make the App Store more efficient as Apple leans more heavily on its services business.

Apple shook up its services division in September, removing the App Store — and much of the developer relations group — from Eddy Cue's software and services division. Worldwide marketing chief Phil Schiller was subsequently given control of those areas.

Schiller has reportedly embarked on major changes to the App Store, with a "secret team" that is mulling significant user-facing updates.

Part of the reason for such renewed attention on the App Store is the explosive growth of Apple's services business in relation to its hardware sales. Apple reported nearly $9 billion in services revenue in the first fiscal quarter of 2016.

"The growth of our Services business accelerated during the quarter to produce record results," Apple chief Tim Cook said during the earnings call, "and our installed base recently crossed a major milestone of one billion active devices."