Chomp May Already Be Powering Search In The iTunes App Store

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App Store Boost From Chomp?

Some iOS developers are noticing a change for the better in their app store search results, and it may in fact be due to Chomp, the app search company that made headlines this past February when it was announced that Apple had acquired it.

Yesterday, according to TechCrunch, a couple of developers and other app search companies noticed that some apps had jumped to the top of the Apple search results. One app, Best Parking, was showing up at the top of the lists for city-specific searches, like sf parking or dc parking. This is in marked difference to previously, when it only showed up in searches for parking, for example. It seems to Ben Sann, founder of BestParking.com, that Apple is doing something new with their app search.

App search company Xylogic’s Matthäus Krzykowski also notices things are different in the iTunes search, but attributes that to Apple improving their current algorithms for search, and not necessarily the roll-in of Chomp technology. HIs theory is that Apple has added what he calls “topic detection,” to their search routines, which brings apps up that match searches for things that the apps do, rather than just their name, keywords, or app description.

Either way, it seems that Apple’s app discovery system has just gotten a boost. Whether it is directly due to Chomp’s technology or a simple adjustment to the current Apple search systems, consumers and app developers will only benefit.

I, for one, hope that Chomp and it’s proprietary technology are being used in a much more magical and wonderful way, one that will be announced wholesale at some big keynote event. But that may just be the fanboy in me speaking. It’s more likely that the new search improvements come from the way Apple rolls in new technology across it’s entire business, letting new variables and acquisitions influence the company in unforeseen ways.

Source: TechCrunch
Via: 9 to 5 Mac

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