ASO news digest for May 2022
Apple will allow developers to increase subscription prices in the App Store without notifying users. Google introduced Custom Store Listing improvements, ultra-low prices, new subscription capabilities, and added accessibility tags. Asodesk has added an Estimated Installs metric to the Keyword Table. Read the most important ASO news for May in our digest.
Contents
1. Apple will allow developers to increase subscription prices without notifying users
2. The option of deleting accounts in iOS apps will become mandatory from June 30
3. WWDC 2022 is open for online registration
4. Accessibility tags introduced to Google Play
5. Google improved Custom Store Listings and introduced several marketing updates in Google Play
6. Google introduced ultra-low prices and other options related to payments in Google Play
7. Google added a New SDK Index which helps developers to choose SDK for their apps
8. Google Play web version was redesigned widespread
9. Asodesk has added an Estimated Installs metric to the Keyword Table
App Store News
Apple will allow developers to increase subscription prices without notifying users
Currently, if a developer wants to increase subscription prices, users must agree to them, otherwise, the subscription will not be renewed.
Apple’s update will allow developers to offer an auto-renewable subscription price increase without permission from users — even if the subscription price changes.
The update will only be valid if developers met three conditions:
1. The price is changed no more than once per year.
2️. Prices can’t exceed $50 and 50% of the cost for annual subscriptions or $5 and 50% of the cost for other subscription periods.
3. Price increases must comply with local legislation.
Apple will notify users about price increases in advance via email, push notifications, and a message within the app. Apple will also tell users how to manage subscriptions and cancel them if necessary.
If the above three conditions are not met, the user must opt-in before the price increase is applied.
The option of deleting accounts in iOS apps will become mandatory from June 30
Starting June 30, 2022, all apps available on the App Store that allow users to create a new account must also offer a way to delete that account if they want to. This new rule was outlined in the App Store Review Guideline 5.1.1(v).
There are some requirements for this new rule:
- Users should easily be able to find the app deletion option.
- If your app allows users to Sign in with Apple, developers will have to use the Sign in with Apple REST API to revoke user tokens upon account deletion.
- Users should have the option to disable and deactivate an account and delete it — along with personal data.
- Apps in highly-regulated industries can offer additional customer service avenues to confirm and facilitate the account deletion process.
- Developers should keep up with legal requirements for storing and retaining user account information. They should also comply with the local laws of countries and regions.
WWDC 2022 is open for online registration
Apple announced that Apple Keynote will be held on June 6 from 10:00 a.m. PT. You can watch it online on apple.com and the Apple Developer app.
Digital Lounges are now open for online registration. There will also be the Apple Design Awards sessions, labs, and challenges from June 6–10. Learn more about the program and register here.
Google Play News
Accessibility tags introduced to Google Play
On World Accessibility Awareness Day, Google announced several new features in its products, such as support for alt texts in Gmail, native support for Braille displays in Android, and tagging of available apps on Google Play.
Google has started tagging accessible apps in the Play Store with accessibility tags (a11y, short for accessibility), which make it easy for users with special needs to find apps they can actually use. These tags will appear as little chips in the “About this App” section.
A11y tags include:
- Screen reader-friendly
- Visual assistance
- Hearing assistance
- Learning disability
- Motor assistance
- Accessible communication. No apps have this tag yet, but Google might add it to eligible apps in the future.
A11y tags will be applied to the following application categories:
- Useful tools for a specific group of users, such as apps for transcribing voice to text for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Aссessiable apps in any category, eg. a screen reader-friendly game.
Google improved Custom Store Listings and introduced several marketing updates in Google Play
On Google I/O, the company introduced improvements to Custom Store Listing in Google Play, which now allows developers to create up to 50 pages per app. Each page will have its own analytics and unique deep links.
Google also shared other marketing updates on Google Play:
1. Company made improvements to Store listing experiments. Developers will now see the results faster, as well as with more transparency and control, which will help you to understand how long each experiment will take.
2. Company will also make it easier to set up deep links correctly and keep them up-to-date. The new page with all relevant information about deep links and tools related to them will soon be introduced in Google Play Console.
3. Company also reminded us about LiveOps, which helps developers to notify users about events on an app. According to Google, this feature drives 5% more 28-day active users and a 4% higher revenue for developers who use it. You can join the beta program of LiveOps.
Google introduced ultra-low prices and other options related to payments in Google Play
On Google O/I, the company shared new updates related to payments in Google Play:
1. The company added pricing options with ultra-low prices starting from 5 cents in any country. This will help developers to boost sales and promotions as well as support micro-transactions from users.
2. Google expanded its payment methods library and included over 300 payment methods in 70 countries. It also added e-wallet payment methods such as MerPay in Japan, KCP in Korea, and Mercado Pago in Mexico.
3. The company also developed new subscription capabilities. Now you can add multiple base plans and options. This allows you to sell the subscription in multiple ways and reduces operational costs by removing the need to create and manage an ever-increasing number of SKUs. Each base plan in a subscription entails a different billing period and renewal type. Plans can also include multiple offers supporting different stages of the subscription lifecycle. We added an example of this in the picture below.
Read more about new subscription capabilities.
4. Thanks to new prepaid plans, users can gain access only for a fixed amount of time. They can extend access to the app before the plan ends. Prepaid plans allow developers to reach users in regions where pay-as-you-go is standard, including India and Southeast Asia. They are also a good alternative for users who don’t want to purchase an auto-renewing subscription.
5. In-App messages will allow developers not to return subscribers whose payment was canceled. With In-App messages API, you can see when a user opened the app. If payment was declined, a message will remind the user to update their payment information.
You can use all these features with the latest version of Play Billing Library.
Google added a New SDK Index which helps developers to choose SDK for their apps
According to Google, it can be hard to understand which SDK is secure. That is why Google made a portal with 100 commercial SDKs and information about each of them. For each SDK listing, the Google Play SDK Index combines usage data from Google Play apps with SDK code detection to give insights created to help developers gauge if an SDK is suitable for an app and its users.
The following information will be available to developers:
- Which Android app permissions the SDK can request;
- If the SDK provider is committed to verifying that their SDK’s code conforms to Google Play policies;
- Version adoption rates;
- Retention metrics, and more.
SDK providers can also share some information related to the SDKs that they registered on Google Play SDK Console, such as:
- SDK version which is outdated or has critical issues;
- Links to data safety guidance where developers can check which data the SDK collects and why. This information is needed to fill out the app’s Data safety form.
Google also introduced API Play Integrity which protects apps and games by detecting fraudulent and risky interactions, such as traffic from modified or pirated app versions and rooted or compromised devices.
Read about other new privacy features in the Android Developer blog.
Google Play web version was redesigned widespread
In November 2021, Google started updating the web version of Google Play. In May, a new web version was widely released. Here are some interesting features of the new version:
1. In the App View, users can use device filters such as Phone, Tablet, TV, Chromebook, Watch, and Car.
2. There are large sections at the top where key details such as ratings, reviews, and downloads are mentioned.
3. The sidebar on the right of the app page recommends more apps.
2. On the mobile website, there is a menu in the bottom bar.
4. On the developer app page you can see all available apps without clicking the button.
5. From the books tab users can go to Library and Wishlist where they will find the old design of the page.
6. The Play Movies & TV player are the same as the old version.
Asodesk news
Asodesk has added an Estimated Installs metric to the Keyword Table
Based on user requests, we’ve added the Estimated Installs metric to the Keyword Table. Now you will know how many installs each keyword can bring to your app per month/year. This metric will help to decide which words you should add to your metadata and which you should leave out.
The Estimated Installs metric is now available on Business and Enterprise plans that include ASO. Try it out for your app on Asodesk.
Learn more in our blog.
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