Apple is warning developers that some apps may not remain on the App Store forever if they are no longer useful, updated, or popular with users.
In its latest App Review Guidelines, released this week alongside WWDC, Apple said it may begin removing apps from certain crowded and well-established categories if they are not updated, improved, or attracting customers. The change gives Apple more room to clean up the App Store and reduce low-quality apps that offer little value.
Apple’s earlier guidelines already warned developers not to submit copycat apps in categories that were already full. The company had previously said the App Store already had enough apps such as fart apps, burp apps, flashlight apps, fortune-telling apps, dating apps, drinking games, and Kama Sutra apps unless they offered a unique and high-quality experience.
The updated language expands that warning. Apple now tells developers not to opportunistically create variants of popular apps or existing app categories. The list now also includes wallpaper apps, simple timers, and sound effect apps, along with dating, flashlight, and fortune-telling apps.
Apple says these types of apps are already well established on the App Store. New submissions in these categories may be rejected unless they offer something meaningfully different or clearly improved compared with what is already available.
The bigger change is that Apple may now remove existing apps from the App Store if they are not being updated, improved, or downloaded by customers. This means older apps in crowded categories could be at risk if developers leave them untouched for too long.
The move comes as Apple is trying to improve app discovery on the App Store. During WWDC, the company introduced new personalized app recommendations and merchandising tools designed to help developers reach users and bring people back to their apps.
By removing low-effort and outdated apps, Apple can reduce clutter and make it easier for higher-quality apps to stand out. The company also warned that developers who repeatedly submit low-quality or copycat apps could lose access to the Apple Developer Program.
Apple said its existing App Store Improvements process already notifies developers when their apps are outdated or not being downloaded. This gives developers a chance to update and improve their apps before they face possible removal.
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The updated guidelines make Apple’s position clearer: apps that are copied, abandoned, low-quality, or no longer attracting users may not have a permanent place on the App Store.
