Unexplained increase in downloads on iTunes Connect

app-store-connect

We're on our way to getting more downloads of iOS Apps in August than in the last 11 months combined. Sounds great, except we're not seeing any evidence that the apps are actually being run, e.g. automatic registration in the database. They're free apps too, so not making any money off these downloads.

Few questions:

  1. What's going on? Does someone have a bot that's repeatedly downloading our apps? If so, why?

  2. If you have seen something like this, what happens if we switch one or more of the apps to paid, say lowest price tier?

  3. If the downloads stop, then would they resume again if we switch back to free? We'd rather have lots of downloads, even if free, than get none.

Best Answer

Noone here will be able to answer any of those questions.

We do no know which apps you offer on the App Store, and we do not have access to Apple's logs on who's downloading - neither do we know what the downloader's motivation is, nor if they're willing to pay for your app.

The only advice that can be given is "try, and see what happens".