At this year’s WWDC, Apple has announced that it is rolling out a broad set of App Store updates designed to help developers market apps more effectively, reach new users, and build new subscription-based business models. The changes touch app promotion, discovery, monetization, submission workflows, and family safety tools, signaling a continued push to make the App Store more flexible for developers and more useful for users.
Marketing Tools Get More Flexible
One of the biggest updates is the introduction of Creative Assets, which give developers more options to showcase apps and games on the App Store. These rich images and videos can appear in product page headers and search results, and can also be used to highlight a brand, promote seasonal offers, or present new content. The assets will work with custom product pages and product page optimization, allowing developers to test which visuals and messages perform best.
App Store Connect will also include a product page preview so developers can see how their Creative Assets, descriptions, and screenshots appear on iPhone and iPad. The preview supports multiple languages, Dark Mode, and both portrait and landscape orientations.
Apple is also adding an Asset Library in App Store Connect, giving developers one place to manage Creative Assets, app preview videos, and screenshots. This should reduce repetitive work and make it easier to reuse materials across custom product pages and In-App Events.
Developers will also be able to submit assets for App Review approval separately from app updates. That means they can roll out seasonal images or coordinate with Apple Ads campaigns without waiting for a full release.
Discovery Features Expand
Apple is also introducing new tools to help users find apps and games they may like. Personalized Collections will recommend apps based on user interests, while App Notes will explain why specific apps are being recommended. These recommendations can appear on the Apps, Games, and Search tabs and will evolve based on app usage and downloads.
The new personalized features begin rolling out this week in English in the U.S., with more languages and regions to follow. For game developers, there will be a path to promote special offers through Featuring Nominations in the Apple Games app. That will let developers propose an in-game offer or limited-time discount to the App Store editorial team.
New Subscription Options
Apple is also expanding Apple In-App Purchase with new subscription tools aimed at organizations, groups, and teams. Using StoreKit 2, developers will be able to enable subscriptions for groups and organizations through two configuration options that support multi-user in-app purchase experiences.
Volume purchasing through Apple Business and Apple School Manager will allow developers to offer subscriptions to enterprise and education buyers who already purchase apps at scale. Seat assignments will be handled through existing device management workflows, which should make deployment easier for IT teams.
Another option, group purchases, will let one subscriber buy seats for others and then invite them to access the subscription. The invite process will be built into the platform so people can join easily, while each subscriber keeps their own account. Developers can manage both subscription options from App Store Connect.
Apple also plans new App Store Bundles that let developers partner with others to offer more value at a lower price. These bundles can combine apps from different developers or create subscription packages called Suites that are not available as standalone purchases. Retention Messaging is also rolling out to all developers in App Store Connect, giving them a way to communicate with subscribers during cancellation and possibly keep them engaged with tailored offers.
Submission Workflow Changes
Apple is simplifying App Review and submission management as part of the update. Developers will be able to group multiple Apple In-App Purchase items and related components into a single unified App Review submission, which should reduce friction in the approval process.
The Mac App Store is also changing in a way that matters for developers shipping Apple silicon-only apps. Apps and games on the Mac App Store will no longer require Intel support, which means developers can focus on Apple silicon binaries without maintaining multiple builds.
Family Controls and Age Rating Updates
The update also includes new parental control features tied to Time Allowances in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. Parents will get more flexible ways to manage how long children and teens spend in apps across categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media. Apple says the settings are informed by expert research and tailored to age ranges, while still allowing parents to adjust them as needed.
New Schedules will also let parents decide which apps children can access at different times of day. To support these features, App Store Connect will add new tools to help developers categorize their apps properly. Apple plans to update the age rating questionnaire in July so developers can indicate whether an app includes social media capabilities, including interactions with user-generated content through a social feed. Apps will then be sorted into the correct Time Allowance category.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Apple adding to help developers market apps?
A: Apple is adding Creative Assets, product page previews, and a centralized Asset Library in App Store Connect to help developers market apps more effectively.
Q: How will discovery improve on the App Store?
A: Apple is introducing Personalized Collections and App Notes to recommend apps based on user interests and explain why they are suggested.
Q: What new subscription tools are coming?
A: Apple is adding group and organization subscription options, volume purchasing, group purchases, App Store Bundles, Suites, and Retention Messaging.
Q: What changes are coming to App Review submissions?
A: Developers will be able to group multiple In-App Purchase items into one unified App Review submission, simplifying the process.
Q: What updates are coming for parents and child app use?
A: Apple is adding Time Allowances and Schedules in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 to help parents manage app access more flexibly.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
Emman Tortoza
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
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