Apple Thinking About Adding Paid Search To App Store

Apple is thinking about adding a Google-style paid search aspect to the App Store.

A new report in Bloomberg says the tech giant has a “secret” team of over 100 employees looking at ways it could adapt the online application store.

One such idea is implementing a paid search program that would let developers pay to have their apps appear at the top of listings for standard searches like “dating app”, “betting” or “puzzle game”.

The feature is something rival Google recently rolled out for its Google Play store, adding a sponsored search results program similar to the paid search ads on Google’s normal browser search.

The team looking at such options is being run by former iAd head & Apple Vice President Todd Teresi, now that the ad program is being “scaled back”, Bloomberg’s sources said.

This project would enable Apple to bring in a new substantial revenue stream, while also changing how apps are discovered on the store – something many developers complain about.

However if the idea comes to fruition, it will likely not be welcomed by smaller developers, as it could be seen to be further skewing the balance towards wealthier companies & developers.

Read the full report here.