The app store that Apple has set up is a very closed system that is filled with many perils. As a developer for the iPhone and iPod touch, I have seen many of these woes. From the build process to the actual approval process, no area is without its problems. The ‘recently released’ area, which can be found by drilling down a category while in the app store app on the device, is one of those problems. This list was also the main area that developers were actually guaranteed to be in upon the release of their app. The loophole was closed a few weeks ago and now the list only represents the recently released apps that are brand new to the store. Below is my story about how I stumbled upon the change.

The app store ‘Release Date’ list was recently frozen and in severe disarray. By frozen, I mean that the list was filled with apps that had dates ranging from November 12th to December 1st. The mayhem started on thanksgiving and appears to be settled now as the recently released list has its normal assortment of apps from the current day.