Popular apps do get preferential placement in search -- so much so that exact searches for some apps do not match in the first page.
Putting niche apps that demand a higher price doesn't do that much good, because the majority of people looking at the charts won't be in that niche. That's why apps with broad appeal get on the charts. It's also why there are sub charts in each category.
As for the the supply issue, you're right. You can't sell anything you want on the store. If anything, though, I think it hurts your argument. By your own definition, Apple is exercising at least some quality control, and preventing you from having to compete with total crap. Unless your app gets blocked from the store (which plenty apps have for no reason), Apple's manipulation in this regard just keeps out your competition.
You're wrong, though, about it not being easier to game your proposed chart metric. You're not taking into consideration price manipulation (or questionable ethics). I'm not going to go into specifics, but it doesn't take much imagination.
Ultimately, its not only cheap apps that are getting in front of people, which is where I think your argument falls down. The majority of apps are not $1. 60% of the top 10 apps cost more than $1, and 40% cost $5 or more. This holds up for the top 20 as well.
You talk about the "voodoo" momentum, and I agree, there is a huge upside to getting to the top of the charts. But it isn't the only way to make money on the store. If that was your entire plan, you only have yourself to blame if it doesn't happen. The evidence shows that price is not the determining factor.
Ordering by volume * price is in fact ordering by sales volume measured in dollars, and is bound to maximize that. It makes sense economically for the app store, not just the developers.
It's not about gaming the system but about having the proper economic incentives in place.
Putting niche apps that demand a higher price doesn't do that much good, because the majority of people looking at the charts won't be in that niche. That's why apps with broad appeal get on the charts. It's also why there are sub charts in each category.
As for the the supply issue, you're right. You can't sell anything you want on the store. If anything, though, I think it hurts your argument. By your own definition, Apple is exercising at least some quality control, and preventing you from having to compete with total crap. Unless your app gets blocked from the store (which plenty apps have for no reason), Apple's manipulation in this regard just keeps out your competition.
You're wrong, though, about it not being easier to game your proposed chart metric. You're not taking into consideration price manipulation (or questionable ethics). I'm not going to go into specifics, but it doesn't take much imagination.
Ultimately, its not only cheap apps that are getting in front of people, which is where I think your argument falls down. The majority of apps are not $1. 60% of the top 10 apps cost more than $1, and 40% cost $5 or more. This holds up for the top 20 as well.
You talk about the "voodoo" momentum, and I agree, there is a huge upside to getting to the top of the charts. But it isn't the only way to make money on the store. If that was your entire plan, you only have yourself to blame if it doesn't happen. The evidence shows that price is not the determining factor.