Could We Soon See A Redesign Of The App Store?

App stores are the marketplace for everything a designer creates. Small changes can have tremendous consequences. Read about what might be just ahead for apps…
App developers are a strange type of entrepreneur. Though they have creative freedom to explore ideas that might potentially change people’s lives, they are simultaneously limited in where these ideas can be sold.
There are a variety of app stores where smartphone users purchase and download apps. The two main players are Google Play Store for Android and the App Store for Apple. Of those two, the Apple App Store has shown an unquestioned dominance. It serves as the main storefront in which developers can hawk their wares.

App Store Gratitude

By all accounts, the typical storefront has served them well. Since it was launched in 2008, the App Store has earned developers more than $70 billion dollars in downloads. According to Game Industry, there is an additional “70% over the past 12 months – driven by the likes of Pokémon Go, Super Mario Run, CancerAid, Ace Tennis, SPACE by THIX and more.” To top that handsome figure off, paid subscriptions are also reportedly up by 58%. MacRumors noted, “Given that Apple takes a 30% cut of App Store sales, including in-app purchases, the App Store’s all-time revenue has likely passed $100 billion.”

Playing the Game

While it’s true that app developers have the opportunity to earn their own slice of this commercial potential by putting their creation in the app store, they are also beholden to forces out of their control. When an entire business model is based on getting people to buy your app, even small tweaks to a main portal where people buy apps can have a huge difference – positive or negative. In some cases, it can even a render a formerly-popular app as non-compliant. It is then pulled from the app store overnight. This is a risk that developers take because, really, they don’t have much other choice.

App Store Changes: WWDC

This is all why it’s noteworthy that at the much-hyped Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced a thorough redesign to the App Store. The changes may seem subtle to the casual observer, but for developers they greatly affect discoverability—and by extension, the ability to garner sales. As MacRumors wrote in response to the announcement: “One of iOS 11’s boldest changes is the revamped, redesigned App Store that dramatically changes the look and feel of Apple’s app marketplace. Aimed at boosting app discovery, the new App Store doubles down on games and splits apps and games into their own sections for the first time.”

So what does this look like in practice?

First, there are three new sections in the store: Today, Games, and Apps. The “Today” page is a kind of highlight reel, with in depth look at some apps and updates—including an “App of the day” and “Game of the day”—which could greatly help developers who manage to find themselves in that privileged slot early after a release. It’s clear with these changes, Apple wants to boost discoverability for new and special apps.
On the pages for each app, the emphasis is being put squarely on user reviews, including the option to retain reviews for old versions of an app; in previous versions of the App Store, reviews would start afresh with every update. This could be a blessing or a curse for developers depending on the quality and quantity of their reviews.  
As MacRumors added: “Apple is putting more of a focus on reviews; distinctions like Editor’s Choice are better highlighted, and content can be shown off with multiple videos. There are also new options that allow things like new in-app purchases and levels to be highlighted, letting developers alert users when apps are updated with new features.”
With these new changes, one thing is clear: developers who want their discoverability boosted need to play by Apple’s rules in order to be featured.  Will there ever be a viable alternative?
 
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