Apple’s App Store Gets A Growth Engine For Developers, Subscriptions & Safer Kids’ Apps

Announced at WWDC 2026, Apple is adding a fresh set of App Store tools this year to help developers market apps more effectively, reach more relevant users, scale subscriptions, simplify submissions, and support new parental controls across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
 

TL;DR

• Apple is adding Creative Assets, Personalized Collections, App Notes, and better App Store Connect previews.
• Developers will get new subscription models, including volume purchasing, group purchases, bundles, suites, and retention messaging.
• Apple is also simplifying App Review submissions and supporting new Time Allowances for child safety controls.

Apple Gives Developers New App Store Marketing Tools To Win More Users

Apple is giving developers more room to make their App Store presence stand out, starting with Creative Assets, which are rich images and videos that can appear in product page headers and search results.

These assets go beyond standard screenshots and previews, letting developers highlight their brand, seasonal offers, new features, or fresh in-app content.

The update also connects with custom product pages and product page optimization, meaning developers can test different creative approaches and understand what performs best with users. App Store Connect will support product page previews, so developers can see how Creative Assets, descriptions, and screenshots appear across iPhone and iPad, languages, Dark Mode, and portrait or landscape layouts.

To reduce repetitive work, Apple is also introducing a new Asset Library inside App Store Connect. Developers will be able to manage Creative Assets, screenshots, and app preview videos in one place, then reuse them across custom product pages and In-App Events.

This should make promotional campaigns faster to build, especially when developers are preparing seasonal visuals or coordinating Apple Ads campaigns. Apple is also allowing developers to submit assets for App Review approval separately from app updates, which removes a common bottleneck for time-sensitive marketing efforts.
 

App Store Discovery Gets More Personal With Collections And App Notes

Alongside better marketing tools for developers, Apple is changing how users find apps and games on the App Store. New Personalized Collections will recommend apps based on user interests, while App Notes will explain why specific apps are being suggested.

These recommendations may appear across the Apps, Games, and Search tabs, and will evolve 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 more languages and regions expected soon.

Game developers are also getting another discovery route through the Apple Games app. Using Featuring Nominations, they will be able to propose in-game offers or limited-time discounts to the App Store editorial team, giving games another way to attract and re-engage players.
 

Apple Expands In-App Purchase With Group Subscriptions, Bundles, And Retention Tools

Apple is also expanding In-App Purchase with new subscription capabilities powered by StoreKit 2. Developers will be able to support subscriptions for groups and organizations using two new configuration options designed for multi-user purchase experiences.

Volume purchasing through Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager will let developers sell subscriptions to enterprise and education buyers that already buy apps at scale. Seat assignments will be handled through existing device management workflows, making deployment easier for IT teams.

Group purchases will let one subscriber buy seats in a single transaction and invite others to access the subscription. Since each person joins from their own account, users can manage membership more clearly. Volume purchasing will be available this fall, while group purchases are coming this winter.

Apple is also introducing App Store Bundles that allow developers to partner with each other and offer users access to multiple apps from different developers at a better price. Suites will give developers another option, letting them package subscriptions that are not available as standalone purchases.

Retention Messaging is also rolling out to all developers in App Store Connect, allowing them to present tailored messages or special offers during the cancellation process.
 

Apple Streamlines App Review And Mac App Store Submissions

Apple is simplifying App Review submissions for In-App Purchases by allowing developers to group multiple purchases and related items into a single unified submission. The goal is to reduce repetitive review steps and improve developer productivity.

The Mac App Store is also dropping the requirement for apps and games to support Intel. Developers can now ship Apple silicon-only binaries, reducing the need to maintain multiple builds for Mac users.
 

App Store Updates Support New Time Allowances For Kids And Teens

Apple is also preparing the App Store for new Time Allowances in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.

These features will give parents more flexible ways to manage how long children and teens spend in app categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media.

New Schedules will also let parents decide which apps children can access at different times of the day. To support this, Apple will update the age rating questionnaire in July, allowing developers to indicate whether their apps include social media features such as user-generated content feeds.

Apps will then be sorted into Social Media, Entertainment, Games, or Other, helping parents make more informed decisions while giving developers clearer categorization paths.

With these updates, Apple is positioning the App Store as a stronger growth platform for developers while keeping user safety and trust central to the experience.