Apple has released its third-annual App Store Transparency Report, which gives a detailed picture of how the App Store operated in 2024. The report is just one of Apple’s promises to developers after a 2021 class-action settlement. The report includes data on app approvals, rejections, removals, fraud prevention, and more.
Apple Publishes 2024 App Store Transparency Report
App Growth and User Activity
So, as of December 2024, the App Store boasted 1,961,596 apps. That is an increase of nearly 100,000 from last year.
The platform recorded 839 million downloads and 813 million visitors on average per week. These are higher than in 2023, showing that demand from users still increases.
App Rejections and Reviews
Apple received 7.77 million app submissions in 2024. 1.93 million were rejected. The typical reasons for rejection were:
- Performance issues
- Legal issues
- Design issues
- Business model disputes
- Security threats
Additionally, after fixing the issues, some apps were resubmitted by developers. 295,109 apps were approved upon resubmission.
Apps Removed from the App Store
82,509 apps were removed by Apple in the year. Most of them were from the Utilities and Games categories.
Reasons for removal were:
- Design infractions (42,252 apps)
- Fraud (38,315)
- Intellectual property infractions (425)
- Spamming (294)
- Export control (285)
- Copycat apps (128)
- Developer misconduct (99)
- Subscription infractions (69)
Government requests
Apple also took away apps at the behest of governments. The majority were from China (1,307 apps). Other countries included Russia (171), South Korea (79), Ukraine (55), and Jordan (50).
Appeals and Restored Apps
Also, app developers submitted 26,224 appeals to have apps taken away. The majority were from China (6,978) and the United States (3,571). Following the review of appeals, Apple restored 78 apps in China and 71 in the U.S.
Fraud and Account Actions
In 2024, Apple closed 128,961,839 customer accounts. It also blocked more than $2 billion in fraudulent transactions. Apple also closed 146,747 developer accounts for fraud or export control breaches.
So, Apple’s report provides a transparent picture of how it maintains the App Store. The information reveals robust efforts to safeguard users, serve developers, and build trust on its platform.
