App Store rule changes create more opportunities for cookie cutter apps

The world is becoming increasingly digitised and the mobile app industry is growing rapidly, with more businesses realising the benefits of creating an online presence. In fact, the mobile app market is predicted to be worth around $101 billion by 2020. This is a promising prospect for emerging businesses and brands that are looking to reinvent their image. However, as the market grows, so will the fees and costs involved with developing and distributing digital content on the App Market.

As it stands, anyone looking to distribute their content through Apple’s very popular App Store will incur a list of costs related to the research, development and distribution of their product. Amongst these costs is the standard developer fee of $99 which Apple charges to every company, developer or brand that wishes to make their mark in the App Store. This fee may not seem very substantial for larger companies or startups that have projected large revenue streams but for nonprofits and local organisations it can be an obstacle.

It’s no secret that Apple likes to play around with the wording of its terms and conditions and the latest adjustment to the wording of the App Market literature has created more opportunities for nonprofits and governmental apps. The decision to waive the fee has been well received by the community, however, there have been a number of changes that has caused some concern.

Amongst the edits to the wording of its App Market terms and conditions, Apple has created a series of caveats around the issue of ‘cookie cutter’ apps. These are the types of products- referred to by Apple as ‘apps created from a commercialised template’- that are generated by a third party to promote a specific event or organisation and are usually of low quality. As of June 2017, Apple created a strict ban on these types of apps in an attempt to stop the market being flooded with low-quality apps that are essentially poorly made adverts.

Recently, however, Apple has once again relaxed the rules surrounding cookie cutter apps by changing its literature. In fact, it seems that Apple is promoting this concept by suggesting ways for template app developers to improve their products. The decision to get rid of the fee for nonprofits and the relaxed rules surrounding cookie cutter apps go hand in hand. Although there is a lot of debate around the issue, it opens up a lot of possibilities for companies and brands looking to expand their digital marketing campaign.