App developers will have a new path to recognition and promotion of their apps, Apple told developers at WWDC 2024 this week. In an update scheduled to arrive in September alongside the release of iOS 18, developers will be able to notify Apple’s editorial team of new content or features in their app before launch that will be considered for a feature in the App Store.
Today, the App Store editorial team creates stories about apps and their developers, and gathers apps of interest into collections highlighted across multiple sections of the App Store. However, there was no formal process for notifying App Store editors of upcoming changes that could potentially qualify an app for this type of recognition. With the launch of something called “Featuring Nominations,” developers will be able to share their designs directly with Apple. This is managed through the App Store Connect app where developers already manage their apps, installs and sales.
From a new nominations dashboard in App Store Connect, developers will be able to create their nominations, either one-by-one or by uploading a spreadsheet to nominate apps en masse. Apple recommends using a memorable nomination name that will help authors understand what their new content or app feature is about. Developers can notify editors of three different types of updates: new content, app improvements, or new app launches.
In addition to the name of the update, developers will include a text description explaining any relevant details about the update and the expected release date. Another field, “Useful Details,” will also allow developers to offer other information for editors to review their submission — such as the developer’s story, how they built the app, or their efforts around someone else key factor, such as the app’s accessibility or inclusion capabilities.
Related to this change, developers will also receive a push notification from App Store Connect if the editorial team chooses to list the app on the App Store. Tapping on the notification will take developers to a page with new Promote Your App marketing elements designed to share the news on social media.
Apple will also provide marketing materials for other big moments in the app’s lifecycle, such as when it first launches or when a new feature or version is released.
These features were announced in a session along with other news about updates to TestFlight, Apple’s pre-release app testing platform, which now has a new look and feel.
One change that will make the testing process even more useful to developers is the feature to set filtering criteria for the type of testers to reach. For example, a developer could limit the TestFlight version to only those with an iPhone and Vision Pro, or only devices running a specific iOS version. This way, when the public link to TestFlight is shared, only eligible testers will be able to install the beta version of the app.
Apple also allows developers to deep link to custom product pages for their app — that is, those pages they’ve built to highlight an app’s special features for a select audience, or those that promote special offers. These custom links may be used when advertising the App through Apple’s search ads or on other platforms, such as social media sites.
Apple’s iOS 18 will be released to the public later this fall.
