Apple now listing native iOS apps such as Safari & Messages in App Store search results
When using relatively generic search terms like "web" or "SMS" in the iOS App Store, users now receive inline "advertisements" for Apple's built-in equivalents before any third-party apps are shown.
Each placard is the same size as a normal app page, but features a different design with fewer elements --?the app's icon, a small market blurb about its features, and a direct link to the app or to Apple's website. The interstitials were first noticed by MacStories.
A search for "web," for instance, returns Safari's familiar compass logo with accompanying text that prods the reader to "see the web the way it was meant to be seen" and a button that switches to Apple's browser. Using the term "SMS" shows a similar format, but swaps the application button for a "Learn More" link to the Messages marketing page on Apple.com.
As noted by MacStories, this is not the first time Apple has manually altered results for specific search terms. Searching for "maps" still brings a link to a listing of alternatives to Apple's built-in navigational aide that was first introduced after the disastrous release of Apple Maps in iOS 6.
The App Store search and ranking system is often criticized by developers, and Cupertino's latest move will likely add fuel to that long-burning fire. The company has made several efforts to improve discoverability in the store, most notably acquiring cross-platform app indexing startup Chomp in 2012.
Each placard is the same size as a normal app page, but features a different design with fewer elements --?the app's icon, a small market blurb about its features, and a direct link to the app or to Apple's website. The interstitials were first noticed by MacStories.
A search for "web," for instance, returns Safari's familiar compass logo with accompanying text that prods the reader to "see the web the way it was meant to be seen" and a button that switches to Apple's browser. Using the term "SMS" shows a similar format, but swaps the application button for a "Learn More" link to the Messages marketing page on Apple.com.
As noted by MacStories, this is not the first time Apple has manually altered results for specific search terms. Searching for "maps" still brings a link to a listing of alternatives to Apple's built-in navigational aide that was first introduced after the disastrous release of Apple Maps in iOS 6.
The App Store search and ranking system is often criticized by developers, and Cupertino's latest move will likely add fuel to that long-burning fire. The company has made several efforts to improve discoverability in the store, most notably acquiring cross-platform app indexing startup Chomp in 2012.
Comments
Makes sense. So many people don’t have a clue what their device already does that they install third party crap to duplicate functionality. No sense in that.
Maybe some default apps are going to the app store ?
Please tell me this will not happen every time I perform such a search.
Please tell me this will not happen every time I perform such a search.
If you do a generic search for an app Apple provides as standard, it takes 1 flick of the finger to get rid of it and into the apps in the store - not that much of a hardship.
Be a little more specific with your search and it takes you straight to the app you want.
I think it's a great thing... if users are also allowed to rate/review these apps. For instance I can find no current way to review/rate apple maps.
Maybe some default apps are going to the app store ?
I hope so, I could then finally delete the "Crap I don't use" folder.
Please tell me this will not happen every time I perform such a search.
Feel free not to use the App Store if this pisses you off too much.
Apple extends the Apple App Store to start to include Windows, Linux and Android software.
Crazy, right? After all, Apple is a hardware manufacturer that offers software as a side business, in part subsidized by hardware sales. What happens if the cost of hardware continues to drop thanks to vastly improved manufacturing efficiencies (I'm thinking of solid-state, "one piece" electronics and nano-fabrication in the near future). In that case, it makes sense to focus on quality and quantity of software distribution, all via their App Store.
So it makes sense when Apple does it but it's bad when Google does? What hypocrisy.
So it makes sense when Apple does it but it's bad when Google does? What hypocrisy.
What the hell are you talking about? Please, don't tell me you're making an equivalency between Apple prioritizing it's own apps on it's OWN curated store running on it's OWN software, installed on it's OWN hardware - to a search engine that scours the entire internet and is supposed to give unbiased rankings?
I'll pretend you didn't make that comparison.
It is their OWN search engine, using their OWN algorithm, is it not?
I’m just gonna quote the following, since it’s exactly what I would have said:
What the hell are you talking about? Please, don't tell me you're making an equivalency between Apple prioritizing it's own apps on it's OWN curated store running on it's OWN software, installed on it's OWN hardware - to a search engine that scours the entire internet and is supposed to give unbiased rankings?
I'll pretend you didn't make that comparison.
Exactly.
A search is a search regardless if it's in the app store or on the Web. You'd be up in arms if Google was doing it in the Google Play store.
Just shut up. I don’t need to call you out on your claim, I don’t need to restate it, explicitly, to clarify the implicit statement here. Just shut up.