Study: Most apps in the App Store are “zombies”

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    Study: Most apps in the App Store are “zombies”


    Posted: 11 Jul 2014
    When announcing the prowess of their respective app marketplaces, both Google and Apple like to discuss how many apps there are. They don’t discuss the actual makeup of their marketplaces, though. A recent study notes that up to 80% of apps in the App Store are “zombie” apps — and no, we don’t mean games.


    The study, conducted by Adjust, references their own metrics to decide how many “zombie” apps are on the App Store. The idea is that if an app doesn’t show “in any position on one of the 39,171 App Store top lists on at least two out of three days over the evaluation period of one month”, it’s not a worthy app.

    The idea behind that is that if an app isn’t popular, it’s not worth downloading in the eyes of consumers. To scale, the problem is getting worse. In June of 2013, the App Store was about 70% “zombie” apps. Though there are many more apps on the store now, the issue deals with percentages, not totals.
    Source

    A Guy
    A Guy's Avatar Posted By: A Guy
    11 Jul 2014



  1. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #1

    Not surprising most apps are pure junk and irrelevant
    I believe the first one I got was to create ring tones/ text.... because the built in ones were yucky
    I got a converter which I barely use
    Most other built in ones are in a folder called useless apps
    Can't uninstall them,
    Compass comes in handy every blue moon ?
    And I got a translate app which is okay for the people that don't bother to learn English
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,047
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-BIT
       #2

    Some apps are totally a huge troll and will take all of your information and is flooded by ads
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,409
    Windows 7 Professional 32-bit/Windows 8 64-bit/Win7 Pro64-bit
       #3

    Yep, always read the permissions, and if it is something unusual for this type of app, don't install it unless there is a clear explanation on why it is there. Or just don't download any unpopular apps unless you know and trust the person that made it or it is a new app from a trusted developer.

    I bet that even more apps on the Amazon Appstore are fake or unofficial especially Google related ones. Why can't they just put Android in their Kindle Fire devices??? But for some odd reason, two of these apps are very popular since there is no offical app for it. Also there are so many crappy apps that are paid that don't do what the screenshots show especially fake apps that pretends to be a popular game but only show still images. Some are even $10. The appstore companies should do a better job of removing ripoff aps.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #4

    Hi there

    Not only that - but IMO the whole concept of "The Store" is flawed -- For instance on Android apps seem to be automatically upgraded randomly with no "roll back" if they either don't work properly or you prefer the old one -- no versioning control at all. You don't get previous versions on this type of "Store".

    This then makes any sort of re-install of the underlying OS really problematical since the current version of the app in the store won't load on the initial version of the OS -- and you can't necessarily upgrade the app because you can't download the original version, install that then apply the upgrades --totally BONKERS method of updating if you ask me --if the OS'es are going to be rolled out like this --well I'm back to Linux where I can at least get previous versions and update in an orderly fashion.

    For anybody working in professional I.T doing maintenance this way will be a TOTAL UMITIGATED DIASTER.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,566
    Windows 10 Pro
       #5

    In terms of security, using old versions of apps is dangerous and should not be done. Updates are not just for adding extra features you know.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #6

    andrew129260 said:
    In terms of security, using old versions of apps is dangerous and should not be done. Updates are not just for adding extra features you know.
    Who on earth ever told you that - and it's also totally BONKERS. There's no reason an old version should be a security problem -- new versions might not work with your particular hardware-- in any case as I said if you are re-installing an OS you might need to re-install the ORIGINAL version of the app and then apply the upgrades to get it to work,

    Further to that apps often require a previous version to be installed before an update can be applied -- for example photoshop cs6 say needed to be installed before you could upgrade to the current release 6.01 for example.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,409
    Windows 7 Professional 32-bit/Windows 8 64-bit/Win7 Pro64-bit
       #7

    Well, I think Android and iOS app updates redownload the app but keeps the user data. The updates are applied to the app so users do not have to install all the updates one by one. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 4,566
    Windows 10 Pro
       #8

    jimbo45 said:
    andrew129260 said:
    In terms of security, using old versions of apps is dangerous and should not be done. Updates are not just for adding extra features you know.
    Who on earth ever told you that - and it's also totally BONKERS. There's no reason an old version should be a security problem -- new versions might not work with your particular hardware-- in any case as I said if you are re-installing an OS you might need to re-install the ORIGINAL version of the app and then apply the upgrades to get it to work,

    Further to that apps often require a previous version to be installed before an update can be applied -- for example photoshop cs6 say needed to be installed before you could upgrade to the current release 6.01 for example.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    I am guessing you never heard of security patches before?

    Basic security principles 101....It's not like adobe readers older versions were ever exploited, or any other programs/mobile apps...............oh wait........

    It's not like xp is an older version and will cause a problem..............oh wait

    Older versions of anything without updates are a security risk. Case closed.

    Not even worth going into detail as you are in denial.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 53,363
    Windows 10 Home x64
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Andrew, what you say may apply sometimes...but not always. Not every app update is a security update. Some just add features, or fix other possible usability issues, or the developer just wants to show off. I get that an older app may be insecure, but saying an older version of anything is a security risk is not case closed A Guy
      My Computer


 
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