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App Store Faces Huge Changes this Fall
June 13th, 2017
by David Quinn
VP of Strategy & Partnerships at Gummicube, Inc.
In case you missed any details from the WWDC 2017 keynote on June 5th, Gummicube has everything to keep you up-to-date. Apple announced spectacular improvements to their hardware, SDKS and developer tools. The jaw-dropping moment happened during the iOS 11 announcement, where Apple divulged the App Store will be completely redesigned in the fall, making this the biggest update to the App Store since its launch 9 years ago.
App Store Changes
The new App Store layout will distinguish between games and other app types with two unique tabs – effectively creating two new app stores. Within each category, there will be even more custom experiences with curated lists and editorialized content.
The changes to the product page will offer more opportunities for apps to become visible through App Store Optimization. 
Today Tab The first page of the App Store has been completely redesigned to feature an editorialized page called “Today.” This page will feature new apps, new updates and more with editorial pieces Apple calls “Daily Stories.” The apps on the Today tab are handpicked by Apple and give users an inside look on newsworthy apps around the world. The Today tab will contain information on the app and developer as well as providing users with in-app videos and images. Users can also share or download the app directly from this page. Apple is also adding an “App of the Day” and “Game of the Day” that will be updated daily on the Today tab.
Games & Apps Tab
Apple has finally made Games its own accessible store with a navigation button, making it easier for users to discover new games instead of wading through all of the App Categories. Games are the largest revenue generator and accounted for 81% of revenue in 2016. By separating Games, it allows users quicker access to discovering new and existing games. Apple has also introduced a section for “featured in-app purchases,” which will offer users direct access to purchase in-app content from the App Store Listing. Having a separate space on the product page that features in-app purchases will give developers a great opportunity to highlight any new promotions, subscriptions, new features and more.
App Store Listings – Display Changes
Apple’s announcement regarding the redesign of the App Store means the addition of two new text fields (Subtitle and Promotional Text) to product pages, ultimately changing the way App Store listings are displayed. The App Page will continue to show the App Preview Video, but it will now be on auto play. Apple is giving Reviews more recognition by increasing the size of an app’s star ranking and is placing it directly above the Preview Video. Apple has also tripled the number of videos and now allows developers to submit up to three Preview Videos. The addition of more Preview Videos is a shift in the App Store UI to a more immersive, in-game action, making creatives increasingly important to conversion.
App Name & Subtitle
We all know the app’s name plays a critical role in discovery. Apple announced that they have reduced the app name character limit from 50 characters to 30 characters. Reducing the character limit will help developers de-clutter their app names and serve as a space that highlights the name and most important features. The introduction of Subtitles, which are also limited to 30 characters, will essentially serve as another set of descriptors for apps and become supplementary to title tags. This text will appear below the app’s name and serve as a summary of the app to encourage users to download. 
Promotional Text The Promotional Text will appear at the top of the description and is limited to 170 characters, serving as a mini-description that can be updated at any time without submitting a new version of an app. Apple suggests using this text to share the latest news such as new promotions, features, content and more. The brief character space means it’s important to be concise about app features and functionality, and should entice users to download before moving along to the main description. We are excited that the App Store is getting a new design that will feature editorialized content and new additions to the product page. To stay up-to-date on all App Store changes, follow us on Twitter.
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