Apple expands App Store capabilities to help developers grow their businesses and reach new users
Apple continuously invests in new features and services to help developers succeed and users discover their next favourite app. New App Store capabilities rolling out this year will give developers more flexibility to market their apps, acquire new users, and offer brand-new business models for Apple In-App Purchase.
New Ways to Market Apps and Games
This year, developers will have more ways to showcase their apps on the App Store with Creative Assets, rich images and videos that appear in the product page header and search results. In addition to standard screenshots and previews, these assets can be used to highlight a brand, promote seasonal offerings, or showcase new content. They also work with custom product pages and product page optimisation, so developers can test and learn what resonates best. App Store Connect also supports a product page preview so developers can see how their Creative Assets, descriptions, and screenshots appear on iPhone and iPad across languages, in Dark Mode, and in portrait or landscape.
The new Asset Library helps developers move faster across marketing workflows, with one place in App Store Connect to manage all Creative Assets, app preview videos, and screenshots. Developers can reuse assets across custom product pages and In-App Events, eliminating redundant uploads and streamlining their promotional campaigns across the App Store. Developers can also submit assets for App Review approval independent of an app update, ideal for rolling out seasonal imagery or coordinating with an Apple Ads campaign without delay.
Enhanced Discovery and Engagement
To complement these new marketing capabilities, the App Store is getting new ways to connect users with experiences they are looking for. To help more people find apps and games they will love, the App Store will introduce new Personalised Collections based on user interests, along with App Notes that explain why specific apps are recommended. These tailored recommendations can appear on the Apps, Games, and Search tabs, evolving over time based on a user’s app usage and downloads. Personalized Collections and App Notes start rolling out this week in English in the U.S., with additional languages and regions coming soon.
To further boost discovery and monetisation, game developers will also be able to showcase special offers to attract and engage players on the Apple Games app, using Featuring Nominations to propose plans for an in-game offer or a limited-time discount to the App Store editorial team.
Scaling Businesses with New Subscription Capabilities
The App Store is a powerful engine for economic growth, and Apple is continuously investing in new ways to help developers scale their businesses and reach new audiences. This year, the App Store will enhance Apple In-App Purchase, providing developers with new ways to offer subscriptions at scale. Powered by StoreKit 2, developers will be able to enable subscriptions for groups and organisations within their app using two new configuration options to easily build multi-user in-app purchase experiences.
Volume purchasing through Apple Business and Apple School Manager allows developers to offer subscriptions to enterprise and education buyers who already procure apps at scale. Seat assignments are managed seamlessly through existing device management workflows, which means apps and subscriptions can be deployed across an organization on infrastructure IT already trusts.
Developers will be able to use group purchases to offer their subscriptions to a range of users, from independent creators working together to full production companies. Group purchases let a subscriber buy seats as a single purchase and then invite others to access the subscription. With Apple-provided invite functionality, it’s seamless for people to invite, accept, and join a subscription. Because each subscriber joins from their own account, it’s easy to see and manage who’s in their group. Developers can conveniently set up both options from one place in App Store Connect. Volume purchasing will be available this autumn, with group purchases coming this winter.
To help build long-term value and increase subscriber retention, new App Store Bundles will give developers the ability to partner together and offer users more for less. By expanding beyond a single-developer catalog, these new bundles will allow users to subscribe to multiple favorite apps from different developers at a better price. Developers will also be able to create Suites, offering subscription packages that aren’t available as standalone purchases.
Retention Messaging is rolling out to all developers in App Store Connect. These new tools let developers engage subscribers by allowing them to provide additional value during the cancellation process with tailored communications or special offers.
Streamlined Submissions
App Review plays a vital role in keeping the App Store a safe and trusted place for users, and Apple continuously works to make the submission process more efficient for developers. Updates to Apple In-App Purchase submissions will further simplify app management and boost developer productivity, allowing developers to group multiple In-App Purchases and related items into a single, unified App Review submission.
To further simplify the development and submission process, apps and games on the Mac App Store no longer require Intel support. This allows developers to ship Apple silicon-only binaries, eliminating the need to maintain multiple builds.
Supporting New Time Allowance Features
Once apps and games on the App Store are downloaded to a child’s device, parents can use powerful and intuitive tools, like Screen Time, to help manage when a child can use those apps. New Time Allowances in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 give parents more flexible ways to manage the time their kids and teens spend in apps across categories, including Entertainment, Games, and Social Media. Time Allowances are developed based on expert research and tailored to a child’s age range to give parents a helpful starting point. Parents can adjust these settings based on what they determine is best for their child. And new Schedules let parents choose which apps kids and teens have access to at different times of day, making it easier to help keep them focused when it matters.
Developers will also have new ways to ensure their apps are properly categorized for these features within App Store Connect. To support Time Allowances, the age rating questionnaire will be updated in July, allowing developers to indicate if their app includes social media capabilities, such as interacting with user-generated content through a social feed. Apps will automatically be sorted into the appropriate Time Allowance category: Social Media, Entertainment, Games, or Other. This helps ensure that apps with social media features are accurately categorized and age-rated, providing parents with tools they can use to make informed decisions for their families.
The App Store continues to evolve to support a growing developer community while maintaining high standards for user safety and trust. With these updates, Apple is providing developers with the capabilities and flexibility to connect with a global audience, deliver safe experiences, and build sustainable businesses.