Apple warns developers against schemes that manipulate App Store rankings

Apple has issued a warning to App Store developers, noting that anyone found manipulating App Store chart rankings may lose their Apple Developer Program membership. Earlier this week, an anonymous developer alleged that a number of iOS developers are taking advantage of questionable techniques to rise up the top charts on the App Store, such as "bot farms" which download specific apps thousands of times, reports Pocket Gamer. According to the report, developers can pay as little as $5,000 to receive these services, which guarantee your app will enter the top 25 free apps on the App Store. Apple has now reminded App Store developers that this kind of behavior should be avoided in a brief post on the official Apple Developer website. "Once you build a great app, you want everyone to know about it," the statement reads. "However, when you promote your app, you should avoid using services that advertise or guarantee top placement in App Store charts." "Even if you are not personally engaged in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews, employing services that do so on your behalf may result in the loss of your Apple Developer Program membership."