ASO news & app store updates 2026

In the ever-changing app store landscape (algorithm changes, tool updates, new store guidelines, …), keeping up with the most important changes can be difficult.

To help you stay up to date with the main developments occurring in the ASO community, we’ve created this blog. Each month, we will provide a recap of the most important ASO and app store updates we have taken note of in a succinct and digestible way.

March 2026

Below, we’ve gathered the latest App Store and Google Play updates relevant to ASO, app discovery, and mobile growth teams.

App Store updates

These App Store updates focus on Apple Ads changes and evolving search result dynamics that directly influence app visibility and paid acquisition performance.

Apple Ads expands ads in search results

Apple Ads introduced additional ads in search results, increasing the number of placements available during user queries in the App Store. Early data observations from AppTweak show higher impressions and spend while conversion rates remain stable, indicating increased inventory participation.

• More ads can appear for the same search queries.
• Competition for visibility within search results increases.
• Performance metrics may shift with expanded inventory.

Apple introduces “Maximize Conversions” bid strategy

Apple Ads replaced the CPA cap setting with “Maximize Conversions,” an automated bid strategy that optimizes bids toward a defined CPA goal within campaigns.

• Campaign bidding shifts toward automation around CPA goals.
• Advertisers no longer use manual CPA caps.
• Optimization shifts toward conversion-based automation.

Google Play updates

The latest Google Play updates introduce new app discovery formats and features that reshape how users find and engage with apps on the Play Store.

Google Play introduces Play Shorts

Google Play launched Play Shorts, a short-form video format displayed in the Apps tab to support app discovery through video content rather than store listings.

• Apps can be discovered outside traditional listings.
• Video content becomes a discovery surface.
• Creative formats expand within the store environment.

Google updates billing model and service fees

Google announced changes to its billing model, including adjusted service fees and increased flexibility for handling in-app purchases across supported markets.

• Revenue structures may change across apps.
• Developers gain more flexibility in purchase handling.
• Monetization models may adjust across markets.

Other ASO updates

Additional ASO updates this month cover technical app performance signals, AI integrations, and new store features that may influence app rankings and user perception.

• Google Play displays warnings on store listings for apps exceeding thresholds in the Excessive Partial Wake Lock metric.
• These warnings appear directly on listings and may affect user perception and install behavior.
• Google introduced AppFunctions to enable app interactions with external tools, including AI assistants.
• Google Play added a PC section, cross-platform badges, unified pricing, and game trials for games.

January 2026

This January 2026 ASO update covers the latest App Store and Google Play changes impacting app discovery, Apple Ads performance, and AI-driven search experiences.

App Store updates

These App Store updates focus on Apple Ads search result changes and expanded ad inventory, reshaping how apps compete for visibility and paid acquisition in the App Store.

Expanded search ad inventory is coming

Apple has officially confirmed that additional ads will appear in App Store search results starting in March 2026.

While Apple hasn’t shared an official rollout timeline, early signals from the ASO community suggest a phased launch, potentially starting in the UK in early March, followed by Japan, and then rolling out globally in the second half of the month.

Apple has clarified several key points about how these new ads will work:

• Ads may appear beyond the top position in search results

• Advertisers don’t need to modify existing campaigns

• Ads will automatically be eligible for all available ad positions

• Ad formats remain unchanged, whether using a default product page, a custom product page (CPP), or an optional deep link

This rollout follows recent App Store UI changes that reduce the visual distinction between sponsored and organic results. Paid placements are likely to blend more closely into organic rankings, increasing competitive pressure on top organic positions.

This change has several concrete implications:

1. A wider gap between the 1st and 2nd organic results
Competition for high-intent keywords is likely to intensify, especially as Apple continues shifting from strict keyword matching toward more intent-based logic.

2. Potential increase in Apple Ads spend
A second ad position will generate additional paid taps, but those taps may not convert as efficiently as the top ad placement, affecting ROAS calculations.

3. More complex campaign optimization
Marketers relying heavily on Impression Share to evaluate bid strength may face ambiguity if multiple ads are competing for visibility on the same query.

App marketers should closely monitor campaign performance throughout Q1 and be ready to recalibrate both ASO priorities and paid search strategies as the rollout progresses.

Google Play updates

The latest Google Play updates introduce AI-powered features like Ask Play, transforming app discovery and requiring new ASO strategies optimized for AI-generated answers.

Ask Play: Gemini enters app discovery

With Play Store version 49.3, Google has introduced Ask Play, a Gemini-powered chatbot embedded directly on app listings.

Ask Play appears directly on app store listings (for installed and non-installed users) and:

• Suggests common questions users might ask about an app

• Generates answers using app metadata, user reviews, and inferred context

The rollout will be gradual and territory-dependent, and its impact will vary based on Play Store update adoption across users.

How does the introduction of Ask Play impact ASO:

1. App pages need to be optimized for AI systems, not just human readability.
2. Long descriptions, review content, and consistency across assets matter more.
3. Clarity in messaging becomes fundamental as vague messaging increases the risk of incorrect or vague AI-generated answers.

November 2025

This November 2025 ASO update highlights key App Store and Google Play changes affecting app personalization, store listing assets, and technical performance signals.

App Store updates

These App Store updates focus on custom product page expansion, enabling more advanced ASO strategies through personalization and keyword-level targeting.

Create double the number of custom product pages

Apple has doubled the maximum number of custom product pages mobile marketers can create, from 35 to 70 active custom pages!

You will be able to manually assign keywords to each CPP, so they become eligible to appear in App Store search results for those terms—replacing your default product page when triggered.

This expands targeting possibilities dramatically:

• Feature-focused custom product pages
• Seasonal variants
• Persona-based experiences
• Geo-specific content

With this update, Apple is clearly highlighting the importance of bringing personalized experiences to its users! Time to start optimizing your CPPs!

Google Play updates

The latest Google Play updates introduce new store listing assets and app quality signals that influence app visibility, user engagement, and ranking performance.

New app store asset

Earlier this year, Google announced the release of a new Hero content carousel, and it has started rolling out!

This new store asset:

• Is only shown to users who already have the app installed
• Appears above the regular screenshot gallery
• Pushes the screenshots further down the store page
• Is in limited rollout — not available to all apps yet

The feature is already available to some. Go to the Play Store Console under: Store Presence → Store Listings → Phone immersive header.

YouTube videos on store listings

Google now allows apps that are eligible to publish Promotional Content the option to list multiple YouTube videos on their store listings for apps.

This feature is currently only targeted at users who have already installed your app. New users will therefore not be able to see the extra videos. Installed users will see these videos above promotional content and even before their default screenshots.

New app vital

Google Play is officially adding “excessive partial wake locks” as a core app vital. “Excessive partial wake locks” indicates a battery-drain behavior for which Google set a strict 5% threshold.

If your app exceeds it:

• The Google Play Store may display a warning on your listing
• Starting March 1, 2026, non-compliant apps may be excluded from prominent discovery surfaces (recommendations, curated placements, etc.)

ASO and tech teams should treat battery optimization as a ranking factor from now on.

Conclusion

At AppTweak, we will continue to monitor ASO news and trends and report them here. Make sure to check out this monthly blog to stay up to date on the recent developments in the App Store Optimization landscape. Subscribe to our newsletter to make sure don’t miss out on the latest updates. See you next month!

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