Apple Announces Three App Store Updates for Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today added new features and expanded flexibility to its App Store review process. Developers are now able to submit additional items for review when an existing submission is already under review.

Apple has provided several examples of what can be submitted:

• One or more In-App Events in a separate submission if you have an app version under review.
• An app version to address a critical bug that's separate from any existing custom product pages under review.
• One or more Game Center features -- including achievements, leaderboards, challenges, and more.

More information is available on Apple's app submission instruction page.

Apple is doubling the number of custom product pages that developers can create to highlight content and features in apps. Up to 70 custom pages can be published at any time, and keywords can also be assigned to each custom product page to make them more discoverable on the App Store.

In addition to new app review features and support for more custom product pages, Apple is also expanding offer codes to all In-App purchase types. Offer codes are available for consumable, non-consumable, and non-renewing subscriptions in addition to auto-renewable subscriptions. Apple also added offer codes for auto-renewable subscriptions that don't auto-renew after the promotional period ends.

Offer codes allow developers to provide people with limited-time offers for free or discounted In-App purchase content. Apple is replacing promo codes with offer codes, and as of March 26, 2026, there will no longer be an option to create promo codes for In-App purchases in App Store Connect. Promo codes will continue to be available to provide people with free app downloads, and already-available promo codes will continue to work until they expire.

Article Link: Apple Announces Three App Store Updates for Developers

 

[macduke]

Interesting. I didn’t even realize you can create a bunch of custom product pages. I just made my first app this year. So is the offer code change just semantics for in-app purchases? Or is having a discounted in-app purchase code new?

That could be useful for promoting my game. I think I need to make a free version with in-app purchase to unlock all the features, because I’ve had trouble getting traction. Nobody wants to pay for a game up front, but they’ll pay you for IAP. If anyone wants a promo code, DM me, I would love feedback to see if I’m doing something wrong before I try to make a free with IAP version.

 

[alanvitek]

Interesting. I didn’t even realize you can create a bunch of custom product pages. I just made my first app this year. So is the offer code change just semantics for in-app purchases? Or is having a discounted in-app purchase code new?

That could be useful for promoting my game. I think I need to make a free version with in-app purchase to unlock all the features, because I’ve had trouble getting traction. Nobody wants to pay for a game up front, but they’ll pay you for IAP. If anyone wants a promo code, DM me, I would love feedback to see if I’m doing something wrong before I try to make a free with IAP version.

I experienced the same thing! So hard to sell a game upfront in mobile but offer it for free and then sell and IAP and maybe

I’ve seen a bunch of indies move to the model that Nintendo tried a few years back with their iOS Mario game. Basically the first level or two are free and then they hit you will a paywall to unlock the rest of the game.

Seems to work well and is like having a “demo”. If only apply would just give us demos like Steam does

 

[macduke]

I experienced the same thing! So hard to sell a game upfront in mobile but offer it for free and then sell and IAP and maybe

I’ve seen a bunch of indies move to the model that Nintendo tried a few years back with their iOS Mario game. Basically the first level or two are free and then they hit you will a paywall to unlock the rest of the game.

Seems to work well and is like having a “demo”. If only apply would just give us demos like Steam does

Yeah it’s tricky for me because my game doesn’t really have levels? It’s more of a see how far you can last when everything starts spiraling out of control. I really need to figure out Game Center leaderboards since it’s high score based. I kinda wanted to make sure I got the scoring dialed in before adding it. Toying with the idea of having some kind of progression, even if just visual cues. Right now there kind of is as the score changes color the higher you get, but I think I should make the intensity ramps happen on those color shifts, instead of gradually. More like Tetris.

It does have different modes, though, and difficulty settings which could be locked behind IAP and I could use these offer codes for discounts to people on the forums. Like I could have the classic game mode free, and then time attack and arcade could be in the IAP, as well as easy and hard modes. If I ever got much of a following I had the idea to throw in a cheap IAP to unlock special skins and themes for those who might love it. It sucks because my kids and all of their friends love it and play it a lot, which is why I thought I was on to something, but idk how to get traction. It’s a really fun time killer that you can pick up and just play for a few minutes or dive in for a half hour trying to top your high score. I feel like I nailed the feeling of hitting a stride and everything slowing down like you’re in the matrix blasting your way with combos to an insane score. When it happens it feels magical, but I worry the learning curve is a little steep, especially for the main classic mode. But I don’t want to make it an easy game. So many games these days are easy, and there is a difficulty settings for that.

 

[G725]

Nobody wants to pay for a game up front, but they’ll pay you for IAP.

People are still paying upfront for good games. It's just that you can't sell simple mini games like Doodle Jump anymore. Maybe this could still work if you have a really high graphics quality and very good marketing.

 

[alanvitek]

Yeah it’s tricky for me because my game doesn’t really have levels? It’s more of a see how far you can last when everything starts spiraling out of control. I really need to figure out Game Center leaderboards since it’s high score based. I kinda wanted to make sure I got the scoring dialed in before adding it. Toying with the idea of having some kind of progression, even if just visual cues. Right now there kind of is as the score changes color the higher you get, but I think I should make the intensity ramps happen on those color shifts, instead of gradually. More like Tetris.

It does have different modes, though, and difficulty settings which could be locked behind IAP and I could use these offer codes for discounts to people on the forums. Like I could have the classic game mode free, and then time attack and arcade could be in the IAP, as well as easy and hard modes. If I ever got much of a following I had the idea to throw in a cheap IAP to unlock special skins and themes for those who might love it. It sucks because my kids and all of their friends love it and play it a lot, which is why I thought I was on to something, but idk how to get traction. It’s a really fun time killer that you can pick up and just play for a few minutes or dive in for a half hour trying to top your high score. I feel like I nailed the feeling of hitting a stride and everything slowing down like you’re in the matrix blasting your way with combos to an insane score. When it happens it feels magical, but I worry the learning curve is a little steep, especially for the main classic mode. But I don’t want to make it an easy game. So many games these days are easy, and there is a difficulty settings for that.

You and I really went down a similar path on our games! (here's mine: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wildwood-graveyard-defense/id1482578488 )

Mine is also a score-based kind of thing without levels and yes, Game Center leaderboards add a LOT to that mix. Especially when you play the game with people you're friends with on GC because it will text them anytime you beat their high score and viceversa.

In your case, unlocking different modes may be the simplest approach and leave the main game free/open.

I would not suggest running ads unless you have a TON of players. That model is just way too hard usually for indies like us.

Players have also asked me about including cosmetics in the game for purchase which is kinda strange to me since my game doesn't really fit that model at all but people still like it haha. Maybe you could also think about different color palettes to unlock or something? The game Downwell does this as unlockables.

In terms of getting traction... yes that's the hardest part. There's a form to reach out to Apple about featuring your game/app that I've used and it does work. I got featured last year at Halloween for my game and got a ton of impressions but I was also sitting right next to AAA games like Diablo... so the competition was difficult.

If you do get GC leaderboards added, one way to do grassroots style marketing would be to add a feature to "invite" your friends to play with you as a competition. Might be a good way to spread the word without having to do much ad spend!

 

[yabeweb]

Nobody wants to pay for a game up front, but they’ll pay you for IAP.

Guess I am nobody, I would never touch an IAP game ever, either I can buy it or no go from me.
If it is IAP based ita a no go.

If the game is good, I buy it, if I have to pay on the go it's a no no.