Apple Boosts App & Game Development with New Submission & Marketing Tools
CUPERTINO, CA – June 3, 2024 – Apple today announced a suite of updates designed to streamline app submission and significantly enhance marketing capabilities for developers. The changes, detailed on the Apple Developer website, focus on providing greater adaptability in testing new features, expanding custom product page options, and evolving in-app purchase promotional tools.
One key update allows developers to release features like leaderboards and challenges outside of the standard App Review process.This means developers can test and iterate on these engagement-driving elements with users in a separate submission, reducing the risk of review delays impacting feature rollouts.More data on this process is available on the App Store Connect help pages: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-submissions-to-app-review/overview-of-submitting-for-review.
Apple is also dramatically increasing the potential for targeted marketing with expanded Custom Product Pages. Developers can now create and publish up to 70 unique pages,each showcasing different app features and benefits with tailored screenshots,app previews,and promotional text. Crucially, keywords can now be assigned to each custom page, allowing them to appear in App Store search results for those specific terms – possibly bypassing the default product page. Further details on Custom Product pages can be found here: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/.
Apple is broadening the functionality of Offer Codes to encompass all In-App Purchase (IAP) types – including consumable,non-consumable,and non-renewing subscriptions – in addition to existing support for auto-renewable subscriptions. offer Codes allow developers to provide limited-time discounts or free access to IAPs, encouraging user engagement and purchases.
Though, this expansion comes with a sunset for existing Promo Codes for IAPs. Starting March 26, 2026, developers will no longer be able to create new promo codes for in-app purchases. Existing promo codes will remain redeemable until their expiration date.Developers can continue to utilize promo codes for free app downloads.
Resources for implementing Offer Codes include:
* Creating Offer Codes: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-in-app-purchases/create-offer-codes-for-in-app-purchases
* Offer Codes for Auto-Renewable Subscriptions: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-subscriptions/set-up-offer-codes
* Implementing Offer Codes in Your App: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/StoreKit/supporting-subscription-offer-codes-in-your-app
Updated agreements, including Schedules 1, 2, and 3, will reflect the availability of Offer Codes for all IAP types. Translations will be available on the Apple Developer website (https://developer.apple.com/support/terms/) within one month.
