Alternative iOS informational website, AppShopper, had an app that was pulled from the App Store last December due to a conflict with new App Store rules that went into effect at that time. The team behind the app, who also run the website, have spent the hiatus working hard on a new app that is both compliant with Apple’s current App Store rules and useful to consumers.
AppShopper Social was announced today as live in the App Store, bringing with it a host of new social discovery systems along with the familiar Wish List functionality it’s always had.
This is a completely separate app, so if you still have the original AppShopper app on your iPhone or iPad, you can use them both alongside each other.
The new app’s main view now shows your Friend stream, letting you see apps that your friends on the service have added to their own Wish List or My Apps lists. In addition to adding anyone you know to your own lists, you can also add AppShopper’s special Lists, composed of app review sites that are buddies with AppShopper, like 148Apps and TouchArcade. These lists are populated when the respective sites publish reviews about the apps themselves, giving you a great overview of how specific apps are doing in the review blogosphere.
You’ll still be able to get push notifications for updates and price drops to your watched apps, and search for apps right in the new AppShopper Social app itself. The “What’s New” and “Top 200” sections have been held back from this first version of the new app, while the team checks to be sure they don’t violate any other Apple rules.
AppShopper Social is iPhone only at this point, but should be updated to a Universal app soon.
The team hopes to add a way to tap on friends’ names to see what their lists contain, and an easier way to find friends and their recommendations.
AppShopper has always been a go-to app and website to find out about many apps, their price drops, and updates. If you get a chance, check out the new AppShopper Social app and spread the word, by finding friends on the service as well as just passing this post along.
Source: AppShopper Blog
