Developer persuasion causes Apple to change App Store design

Apple this week has been redesigning aspects of its iTunes App Store due to complaints from some developers. These updates, which were made mostly to separate the free apps from the paid apps, have also made the desktop interface more like that of the interface on the mobile App Store on the iPhone. Some of the changes include highlighting of the most popular apps on the category pages as well as the separation of paid apps and frees app on the category pages. TouchMeme’s Krishna Vegesna has this to say of the new changes, “AppStore is getting better and the focus is now shifting more towards better apps.”

These changes to the App Store show a few important things. For one, we know Apple is listening to their developers and trying to make the store a better place for all of them. This will not only get them to develop more apps for the store and support both themselves and Apple, it will also improve the quality of the apps. For example, Craig Hockenberry, developer of Twitterific, wrote this in an open letter to Steve Jobs:

“This proliferation of 99 cent “ringtone apps” is affecting our product development. We have a lot of great ideas for iPhone applications. Unfortunately, we’re not working on the cooler (and more complex) ideas. Instead, we’re working on 99¢ titles that have a limited lifespan and broad appeal. Market conditions [on the App Store] make ringtone apps most appealing.”

With these changes, that should change. Now the more expensive apps that may be produced better are getting just as much front page publicity as the other apps. Hopefully we see these awesome changes as a trend from Apple. As Vegesna says, “Keep it coming Apple.”

Via [AppleInsider]