GoKawiilApp Store data shows one in five top apps unupdated for over a year
An analysis of App Store charts found that 70.9% of listed apps received an update within the last six months, while 20.3% have gone without an update for a year or more, including 9.8% untouched for over three years. Books, Reference and News categories had the highest share of stale apps, while Finance had the lowest at 10.9%.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The gap between actively maintained apps and neglected ones suggests uneven developer investment across categories, which could affect app security, compatibility and user trust over time. Finance apps' low abandonment rate likely reflects regulatory and competitive pressure to keep software current, while categories like Books and Reference may see less commercial incentive for ongoing updates.
- 70.9% of charted App Store apps were updated within the last six months
- 20.3% of apps haven't been updated in a year or more, with 9.8% stale for three-plus years
- Finance apps are the most consistently maintained category at 10.9% abandonment
Source: obelisk.club — Obelisk Club, 2026-11-06
Published there as: “App Store 2026 in numbers: AI, pricing, abandoned apps”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.