AppShopper returns to the App Store with new social discovery focus
AppShopper, a popular app-recommendation tool, disappeared from the App Store this past December when Apple ruled it didn't meet the company's updated store guidelines. The guideline that AppShopper specifically violated states, "Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected."
Given that was the entire thrust behind AppShopper, it seemed the app was doomed. Today, however, AppShopper relaunched as App Shopper Social, a new approach to the old idea that got them in trouble in the first place.
Rather than the app specifically making recommendations to you like the old model, the new app makes social recommendations based on your friends who use the app. And who is the first friend recommended to you upon booting up the program? Why, it's App Shopper themselves. These recommendations show up in your "Stream." You can find new friends via a built-in Twitter search function or by manually adding user names.
By focusing on social recommendations, the company has been able to work around the Apple Store guideline regarding market place confusion. Version 1.0 of the new app is still lacking some of the features users may remember from its original incarnation, including the "What's New" and "Top 200" lists. In addition, the iPad app hasn't been updated yet. The company has promised these issues will be fixed in future updates.
