Altered Algorithm, Apple Applications Will Rarely Appear on the App Store

TEKNOKU.me – Apple-made applications often appear on the App Store for iOS devices. In the future, the software from the manufacturer might appear less frequently in the application store itself.

This is because Apple has deliberately changed the algorithm of the App Store so that it displays more third-party artificial applications.

The change in algorithm implemented by Apple includes the removal of a system that records the ranking of applications based on the intensity of search results and the number of clicks.

According to Apple, the intensity of an application appearing in the search results itself affects the ranking of the application in the App Store because the application store algorithm sees the most searched and clicked applications.

In addition, Apple also removed the “grouping” feature in the App Store algorithm. As the name suggests, this grouping feature groups a number of applications that are from the same developer.

When users enter the keyword “music”, for example, they will be offered the Apple Music application along with a number of other applications from Apple that may not be related to the keyword, instead of third party applications that are relevant.

That will not happen again because of algorithm changes. Even so, this grouping feature is still active for third-party application developers. That is, only Apple applications are affected by the removal of the grouping feature.

Alleged monopoly

Why would Apple bother to change the App Store to depose its own application? There is a suspicion why it is related to the alleged monopoly expressed by the iPhone maker.

By frequently appearing at the top of search results, Apple applications are automatically seen more often than third-party developer-made applications.

Because App Store users must scroll their screen to simply see a row of applications made by other parties.

This naturally leads to injustice between Apple-made applications and third-party developers who find it difficult to compete. This kind of situation can make iOS developers become embarrassed.

Spotify, for example, last March sued Apple for feeling cheated on the App Store.

Moreover, in the Spotify case, the company is a direct competitor of the Apple Music song streaming service made by Apple, so the allegations of cheating are even stronger.

It may be that Apple deliberately changed the App Store algorithm to quell the monopoly allegation above. Or, it could also be that the company just wants to act more justly.