There were interesting changes announced for this year during Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2017 and we gathered here to discuss with you the most important ones because you need to be prepared for the next wave of improvements when the new version of iOS will be released. So, let’s proceed.
Image Source: https://developer.apple.com/wwdc/
New Menu Tabs For Better Discovery
We will focus mainly on the enhancements brought to Apple App Store by the iOS 11 update and we will start with those new menu tabs that provide many advantages for increasing the visibility of your app.
Image Source: https://www.apple.com/lae/ios/app-store/
Today Tab
Today Tab will open Apple landing page and it will be focused on apps. This will be the place where those interested in the new updates and featured apps will go to discover the most important novelties.
Apps and Games Will Be Separate
This new feature that splits the apps and games into two separate pages offers benefits for both developers and users. On one hand app and game owners will have more chances to see their creation discovered by potential customers. This will happen because Apple eliminates the competition between them by providing their own space for presentation. On the other hand users will observe a more personalized list according to their preferences. The ones that search for a game will go directly on that page. And in the same time, believe it or not there are persons more focused on apps than games so they will know where to look for their favorites.
Image Source: https://www.apple.com/lae/ios/app-store/
5 Key Changes In App Page Design
If you want to set up your app page inside Apple App Store there are a few elements you need to consider for creating a better impression to all possible users that will arrive here from various sources. When you look at the image below what do you observe?
Image Source: https://splitmetrics.com/blog/apple-app-store-new-design/
Shorter Names And Added Subtitles
After Apple asked for shorter app names, limited to 50 characters last year in September, now the length of app titles have to be smaller than 30 characters. Don’t be afraid, you will have 30 words for a subtitle where you can also add relevant keywords to increase discoverability.
Image Source: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/
Long App Descriptions
A new field called promotional text was created before app description offering you 170 characters to announce something important related to your app. A long description will give you the possibility to tell whatever you like about your app and the best part is that you can modify it without changing the version of your app.
App Preview Videos
You need to know that you will be able to add 3 videos and 5 screenshots. Videos can now be localized and appear before images. The first video is set to autoplay without sound in the moment viewer will open the page. If you want to know more about preview videos you can check our article full of tips and tricks.
More Visible Top Chart Ranking
Other element that will be visible for your users is the position occupied by your app in the huge list of its category, even though the chart won’t be available for browsing.
Highlighted App Ratings And Reviews
You probably observed all the details about app rating and the format of the text displayed that will certainly be a determined factor for customers’ decisions.
In – App Purchases Come Into Focus
Just like in Google Play Store the in – app purchases will be highlighted along with the GET button. Moreover, app owners will have the possibility to add up to 20 in – app purchases and each one will be detailed in a special card for offering more information for users to understand why they need to pay for those features.
Detailed Search Results
Another opportunity created by the new release for customers and developers is generated by search section which will display information about developers, categories, in – app purchases, collections, tips and tricks and editorial notes. The last two will be added by Apple to some of the most valuable apps.
Phased Update Releases
A great improvement to Apple App Store is already available and it offers the possibility to release the app for a small group of users before the big launch so developers can change it according to the feedbacks received.
4 Actionable Tips For iOS App Owners
Taking into account all these changes, here is what you can do for increasing your chances to reach success with your app.
Reconsider Your ASO
First of all, you must understand that keywords are more powerful than ever and you have to make smart decision when it comes to the right words and to their placements. Don’t forget to invest in high quality creatives for a better presentation of your app.
Improve App Ratings
Secondly, app ratings play a more important role now for the impression you are making to your users. Because you have the possibility to answer to reviews you must take advantage and to improve all the opinions of your users shared on app store.
Consider iMessage Compatibility
After the launch of iMessage Apps when Apple released iOS 10, the new version will offer easier access to iMessage Apps so it is necessary to check if your app is compatible with this feature. The reason is that you want to increase your chances to reach a higher number of users. The new drawer will allow customers to communicate better with their friends by adding stickers, emojis and other visual items.
Image Source: https://www.apple.com/lae/ios/ios-11-preview/
ARKit Opens The Road For Opportunities
ARKit will be the platform for building AR effects offered to iOS developers. This framework minimizes the efforts of app owners when they try to offer amazing experiences with virtual elements added in real landscapes for their customers.
Image Source: https://www.apple.com/lae/ios/ios-11-preview/
FINAL THOUGHTS
Along with new technologies like ARkit and HomePad there are substantial improvements for Apple App Store announced at WWDC this year. We shared the most important ones and now it is your turn to take advantage of the benefits provided by those enhancements and to attract more valuable users that will enjoy your app.
