Developers who want to sell applications in any of Apple's App Stores first need to submit their software to Apple for review, a process in which actual humans examine apps to ensure they comply with Apple's guidelines. One of the problems with this method is that it takes time for apps to move through the opaque review process, meaning users can potentially be stuck with bugs for a few days if something goes wrong with an update, even if the developer submits a new build to Apple as soon as the bug is discovered.
Lately, though, that wait time has decreased. According to user-submitted data at appreviewtimes.com, the average review time for iOS apps has decreased from around a week to about two days since this time last year. The reason, according to a report from Bloomberg, is revenue: Apple allegedly hopes to increase services revenue by reviewing apps more quickly, allowing developers to make changes and introduce features more quickly while "building developer loyalty."
Apple's iPhone sales have been soft so far this year (and are expected to stay that way next quarter, according to the company's own projections), but the Services division has shown healthy year-over-year growth during the same period. The Services division accounts for everything from iTunes music and video sales to Apple Music, iCloud subscriptions, software sales, and App Store revenue, and those numbers should all continue to improve as Apple sells more devices to more people.
Apple's app review processes occasionally cause problems, and rules aren't always enforced consistently. Apps can be approved only to be pulled days later or pulled and re-posted in response to user outcry or after minor changes have been made. This is especially evident after new versions of iOS launch, as developers discover the ways in which Apple wants them to use new APIs and features. Shorter app review times could at least reduce the amount of time that these apps take to return to the store in the cases where they are allowed to return.
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