News
iPhone developers trick App Store with altered application names
By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Monday, July 14, 2008
News Category: iPhone Applications
Apple’s decision to list iPhone and iPod touch applications in alphabetical order on the App Store is leading to unfair practices by some software developers, who are adding a symbol or space to the beginning of the application name in order to appear on the first page of results. While Apple has fixed the problem on its “Browse” listings, it persists on pages such as ”All iPhone Applications,” where titles like $0.99 Sudoku Classic, !FLOverload!, and $1.99 Whack the Groundhog appear above legitimately-named titles such as 3-D Vector Pong and 5 Card Touch. [via TUAW]
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1
You know, I recall that Apple changed the sorting in iTunes a while back… for a while, non-alphanumerics (such as symbols) sorted to the top, followed by numerals, and then alphabetic characters. One of the iTunes updates changed this, so now alphabetic characters sort first, followed by symbols, and then numerals. This applies to both one’s library and the iTunes music store.
I hope Apple sees fit to make a similar update to the way that apps are sorted. It would serve those cheating jackasses right to have their lame apps sorted to the bottom of the list.
Posted by Andy S. on July 14, 2008 at 9:55 AM (PDT)
2
how is this unfair?
open your phonebook and look at how many businesses in your area have a name thats starts with AAA or A1.
this is not not new. this is not original… and its certainly not “cheating”.
its strategic. its business.
no matter what character comes first, developers will learn the sequence.. and if they really want their title on the first page they will make the necessary adjustments to their application name.
Posted by brian d on July 14, 2008 at 11:38 AM (PDT)
3
Exactly. How many AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Plumbing Services are in the yellow pages now....?
Posted by ahMEmon on July 14, 2008 at 12:22 PM (PDT)
4
> how is this unfair? ...look at how many
> businesses in your area have a name
> thats starts with AAA or A1.
The main problem is that some developers use a blank space or a symbol as the first character, which creates a list that appears to be a jumbled, out-of-order mess at the beginning.
Posted by James on July 14, 2008 at 8:51 PM (PDT)