It is not easy making iOS apps. Not just because you need to be an expert in coding languages, but also because Apple’s own lofty standards of design make it as much of a challenge as it is an ordeal.
Apple’s standard app review process used to last 9-10 days. That means, once you’ve developed an iOS app and submitted it to Apple, it would take more than a week before the app made an appearance on the AppStore.
But, all that is in the past now because Apple is all set to change its ways.
In the past month, the average app review time has gone down from 9 days to a little over 2 days. If there are any developers out there reading this article, now’s the time for you to do your victory dance, because this is great news for you!
Source: AppReviewTimes.com
We are not sure if an internal policy change is responsible for this development, because there hasn’t been an official announcement yet. We do believe that the faster review process could be credited to an increase in the size of the review team, or possibly a more streamlined review system. The last seems more likely.
The iOS App Store and the Mac App Store were both originally under the authority of Eddy Cue. Towards the end of last year, Apple transferred the responsibility of both to Phil Schiller. That change in administration may well have brought about a change in the work process.
Bloomberg is of the opinion that Apple is doing this to increase revenues from software sales. With startups sprouting up like mushrooms everywhere ( and a majority of them being app-based ventures), the number of app submissions have shot up drastically over the past half-a-decade. The potential to make big bucks is huge.
Money’s not the whole story, though. Apple is also doing this to make its ecosystem more open and accepting of others. “The accelerated pace allows app developers to fix bugs faster, try out new features more regularly and better react to market changes, while building developer loyalty to Apple’s iOS mobile operating system.”
Whatever the reason, a faster review process is welcome news no doubt. It opens up the closed Apple ecosystem and lets more people jump onto the developer bandwagon. We’ve been told competition is good. So let’s hope we get to see better and better apps coming up on the app store.