ASO news digest for June 2022
At the WWDC22, Apple shared important updates for app publishers: new Benchmarks in App Analytics, Live Activities, Shared with you API, Apple Pay later, and more. Google will pay U.S app developers $90 million. Asodesk turned 6 years old, and we also became a leader in ASO according to the G2 summer report.
Contents
1. Apple announced benchmarks in App Analytics and other important updates at the WWDC 2022
2. Apple Search Ads Advanced now allows advertisers to book Search tab campaigns with cost-per-tap and manage campaign spend with a daily budget
3. Apple loosens some App Store rules for app developers
4. Apple allows developers to use alternative payment methods for apps in South Korea
5. Apple updated StoreKit External Entitlement for dating apps in the Netherlands
6. Google will pay U.S app developers $90 million and offer other benefits
7. Google noted that more developer previews for Privacy Sandbox on Android are coming soon
8. Asodesk became a leader in ASO according to the G2 summer reports
9. Asodesk turned 6 year in June
App Store news
Apple announced benchmarks in App Analytics and other important updates at the WWDC 2022
On June 6–11 Apple held the WWDC22, where the company shared some important updates:
1. New benchmarks in App Analytics. Starting from the beginning of next year, you will be able to compare your app’s performance against similar apps in the App Store with new benchmarks. With this update, you can also check how your app performs compared to your peers and make informed decisions on how to achieve your goals.
2. Live Activities. Later this year, developers will be able to automatically update notifications on the smartphone lock screen using WidgetKit.
3. Focus. This updated feature now allows users to use Focus Filters to customize their screens for various modes. If a developer adds the Focus API to the app, users can customize app behavior based on the currently enabled focus.
4. Shared with you was introduced last year. It allows users to highlight photos, music, and other content right in the app to share with their friends. Developers can now connect it to their applications using Shared with your API.
5. Apple Pay Later will allow users to pay for purchases in installments. They can divide the payment into 4 equal parts without additional commission.
Read about these stories and 5 other important updates from the WWDC22 for iOS 15 in our recap.
Apple Search Ads Advanced now allows advertisers to book Search tab campaigns with cost-per-tap and manage campaign spend with a daily budget
On June 15, Apple sent developers a letter about the new option to create campaigns for Search Tabs (Search Tab format) with pay-per-click in Apple Search Ads Advanced. Developers can create these campaigns before CPM campaigns are discontinued. Any CPT campaigns you create now will be put on hold until the pay-per-click model goes live in July. Book a new Search tab campaign here.
Advertisers are also able to set a daily budget now — the average amount they want to spend every day. Unlike the daily budget parameter, the old daily limit allowed you to limit campaign spend per day, stopping the campaign at the end of the day if the entire daily limit was used up.
With the new daily budget, if you have an opportunity to get more downloads, your app spend can become bigger than your daily budget. However, your monthly spend won’t be more than your daily budget multiplied by the average number of days in a calendar month — which is aggregated as 30.4 days. Read more about this parameter.
Apple loosens some App Store rules for app developers
Apple updated App Store Guidelines and made some rules easier for developers:
1. Apple removed rule 4.2.3, according to which an app must “include sufficient content in the binary for the app to function at launch.”
2. Apple also withdrew rule 5.3.3, which limited users from purchasing lottery or raffle tickets or starting fund transfers in an app, and rule 4.7, which limited lotteries and charitable donations in code that’s not embedded in the binary.
3. Apple introduced changes to rule 5.2.5, which now states that apps have to follow the attribution requirements provided in WeatherKit’s documentation.
4. Apple rescinded rule 2.5.4 which is focused on location data. Apple no longer requires apps using location background mode to remind users that doing so “may dramatically decrease battery life.”
Read more about guideline changes in Techcrunch blog.
Apple allows developers to use alternative payment methods for apps in South Korea
According to the Telecommunications Business Act, apps in South Korea should be allowed to offer an alternative payment processing option within their apps.
To make use of this new law App Store developers can now use the StoreKit External Purchase Entitlement. It allows apps in South Korea to provide an alternative in-app payment processing option. To use alternative payments in South Korea, you need to meet some conditions:
- You should submit a separate app binary for iOS and/or iPadOS that is distributed solely on the App Store in South Korea.
- You need to get permission for using StoreKit External Purchase Entitlement.
- You can’t use the entitlement with Apple’s in-app purchase system.
- You should show the pop-up with the following text: “This app does not support the App Store’s private and secure payment system.”
- You can use one of four payment systems: KCP, Inicis, Toss, NICE.
- You need to send reports on purchases every month so that Apple can calculate commission.
Read more on how to use this alternative payment method in South Korea.
Apple updated StoreKit External Entitlement for dating apps in the Netherlands
After discussions with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), Apple introduced several more updates in external payments to comply with the regulator’s order pertaining to dating apps:
1. Developers can use the StoreKit External Purchase Entitlement, the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement, or both entitlements.
2. In accordance with the ACM’s requests, Apple has made changes to the user interface requirements announced this past March for developers who choose to use either or both of the entitlements.
3. Apple has amended the payment processing provider criteria for developers who plan to use either of the entitlements.
4. The 3 percent commission discount also applies to in-app purchases that qualify for a lower commission rate (for example, App Store Small Business Program enrollees or subscription services that have surpassed one year of paid service — both of which already qualify for a 15% commission).
Apple also noted that they don’t agree with ACM’s order and are planning to appeal it. Learn more about the rules for distributing dating apps in the Netherlands.
Google Play news
Google will pay U.S app developers $90 million and offer other benefits
App developers previously filed a lawsuit in San Francisco and accused Google of trying to close the app ecosystem and take most of the payments through the Google Play billing system with 30% commission.
On June 30, Google announced a peaceful agreement according to which the company will put $90 million in a fund that supports U.S. developers who made $2 mln or less in annual revenue from 2016 to 2021.
The company also talked about other benefits which will help developers communicate with users.
- Google is also planning to allow developers to contact users about subscription offers and cheaper purchases from competing app stores or the developer’s website. The future versions of Android will also make it easier for consumers to use other app stores.
- On the main page of Google Play US users will see “Indie Apps Corner” with startups and independent developers.
The company has agreed to publish annual transparency reports, providing information on data such as app removed, account terminations, and data on how users interact with Google Play.
Google noted that more developer previews for Privacy Sandbox on Android are coming soon
In their developer blog, Google noted that more developer previews are coming soon for Privacy Sandbox on Android. The Privacy Sandbox on Android Developer Preview program will work all year and its beta release will be at the end of 2022.
The program includes the following features and resources:
- SDK for Privacy Sandbox on Android
- System image options
- Previews APIs
- Developer Preview API reference
- Support resources: release notes and issues tracker
Read more about all the features of the program.
Google also reminded us about other privacy features which were launched over the past few months.
Asodesk news
Asodesk became a leader in ASO according to the G2 summer reports
This summer, Asodesk received awards from the world’s largest and most trusted tech marketplace — G2. One of the most important rewards for ASO is a badge of leader service in ASO. We also took 9 more badges in 3 categories:
- App Store Optimization
- Mobile Analytics
- Mobile App Analytics
Many thanks to those who left their reviews on G2. We are happy to know that you trust Asodesk.
Asodesk turned 6 year in June
6 years ago in June we released the first commercial version of Asodesk. A lot has changed over the past few years and from an ASO service we turned to an ecosystem for growing app businesses. Thank to all our clients for subscribing to Asodesk — you help our platform become better 💙
Asodesk now has so many features for effective App Store Optimization, working with reviews and market analysis, that even regular users don’t know all of them. This June, we wrote a big guide about all the tasks you can solve with the help of Asodesk. Learn how you can apply all our tools to your apps.
Our Customer Success Lead Elizaveta Komarova also shared the top 10 Asodesk features for your app promotion in the App Store and Google Play in a free webinar. Watch the recording and learn all the Asodesk secrets which will improve your work with ASO and reviews.
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