I just used my best google-fu and can find no evidence for this. If you're going to make controversial claims like that in the future, include a link to the evidence or you will mostly just end up spreading FUD.

Upvoted you. Couldn't find it either. Think it was in a checklist I read once.

It's missing because Apple took it down wherever it was, obviously.

/conspiracyfallacysarcasm :)

I think @rustyshelf has removed the most salty posts, but the bulk of the story is still somewhere in their blog:

https://blog.shiftyjelly.com

Sounds like FUD.

Its not. Developers of a famous podcast app have a number of long posts about this subject.

Also, Apple will ban your app if it has the word "android" anywhere in it.

So a single app developer experienced unknown delays and attributed that to the fact that they launched on Android first... How's that anecdotal evidence going?

I'm sure the part about Apple punishing you for launching on Android first is rubbish, but the second claim is true - App Store rules are that you can't mention the word 'Android'.

Rule 2.3.1:

"don’t include names, icons, or imagery of other mobile platforms in your app or metadata"

And here is a case where they actually enforced it:

http://bgr.com/2015/05/21/app-store-rejection-android-ios/

OK so one datapoint! But not to the most controversial claim.

> Developers of a famous podcast app have a number of long posts about this subject.

Do you have a link?

Nope, the company is called shifty jelly. They've still got other iOS apps though so it wouldn't surprise if they were taken down.

Ah the company behind Pocket Casts (love that app). Well I searched through their blog and could only find Amazon App Store drama.

I'm going to assume the original statement is FUD as accused. It does seem incredibly unlikely a dev could draw such a link even if Apple were doing that kind of penalisation (which makes literally no sense to me).

Are you sure?

https://www.relay.fm/inquisitive/31

Could you point to where in the episode the 'Apple punishes if you're in the Android app store first' idea is covered?

(I'll probably listen anyway since I like those guys, but still ...)

My headphones are out of juice so you have settle for this summary:

> Coincidentally, Russell Ivanovic is a case in point for what could happen if you defy Apple and launch on Android first. Ivanovic had initially been very lucky to have been assigned an Apple Developer Relations representative who gave him exclusive promotional opportunities. Few developers get assigned these representatives. Among the benefits Ivanovic received was the privilege to have Shifty Jelly's apps preloaded on iPads in Apple stores in Australia, a major marketing boost.

> Things went south In 2012, when Ivanovic launched a new version of the Pocket Casts app on the Android Play Store first, rather than Apple's App Store. The launch was a real success, and he publicly shared the good news. Before he knew it, his Apple Developer Relations representative stopped all contact. The representative would not even answer his emails. Ivanovic had been completely shut out.

Source: http://www.elischiff.com/blog/2015/3/24/fear-of-apple

Ah okay, so at most it's a withdrawal of special treatment, NOT punishing a regular app's position in the app store because they launched in the Android store first, which was how the original accusation sounded.

But thanks for the info, I can see it certainly would stink to be treated that way, losing your benefits and being ignored by your contact.

These guys were on the featured list and showcased in apple commercials before they were suddenly dropped.

I am not sure if this is "withdrawal of special treatment". These guys made great ios apps, both before and after they started making Android apps.

The sections you quoted specifically mention special privileges (and that the Dev Rel representative thing is rare).

And it was those things which they lost right, rather than some kind of search position punishment?