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App Store Connect: Holiday Shutdown 2019

December 5th, 2019

App Store Connect: Holiday Shutdown 2019
Anh Nguyen

by Anh Nguyen

COO & Co-Founder at Gummicube, Inc

Apple has announced the App Store Connect Holiday Schedule. During this time, App Store Connect will not accept any new apps or updates, so as to give Apple’s team time off to enjoy the holidays. Developers will want to keep this time frame in mind and plan their releases around it.

App Store Holiday Shutdown

The Holiday Shutdown is a week around the end of the year where App Store Connect stops accepting new apps and updates. Developers will still be able to access other App Store Connect features, such as reviews and analytics, as well as developer account features.

App Store Connect’s 2019 Holiday Shutdown will begin December 23rd and end on the 27th.

What Developers Should Do

While the 23rd is the deadline for submitting apps and updates on App Store Connect, it’s important to not wait until the last minute. Submitting an app in advance can provide developers with enough time to adjust their apps if they’re rejected and need revising.

App updates and launches can be scheduled to go live during the shutdown. If, for instance, an app has a special update planned for Christmas day, it can still submit the update before the 23rd and schedule it on App Store Connect for the 25th.

The holiday season is also an incredibly busy time for apps, whether it’s from users downloading shopping apps or people downloading apps on a phone they receive as a present. If an app misses its intended launch or update due to the holiday shutdown, it could result in major missed opportunities.

Update for Seasonality on Time

With the holidays fast approaching, developers should also update their apps for the season. Adding in winter imagery, festive themes and special seasonal events can help attract users, potentially get the app featured on lists and help boost conversions.

This should be done well in advance, before App Store Connect’s holiday shutdown. If an app takes too long to update for seasonality, it may not have enough time to index for any holiday terms it’s targeting or reach as many users.

Overall

App Store Connect will shut down from December 23rd to the 27th, so developers should submit and schedule their launches well in advance. Planning in advance can help provide enough time to get approval and fix any issues that may cause rejection. Additionally, scheduling on App Store Connect in advance will let developers launch the app or update on the intended date, even during the shutdown.

Want more information regarding App Store Optimization? Contact Gummicube and we’ll help get your strategy started.

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