ASO news digest. May 2024

The ASO news digest is our desire to keep abreast of the updates that have occurred in the mobile application market over the past month. Any update or change in the rules of the major app stores can have an impact on ASO tactics and strategy. Here you can find the May 2024 update from the App Store and Google Play.

News digest from the App Store

1. CTF fee

CTF is the fee Apple charges developers for using its tools, technologies, and services to create apps. In the EU, only developers who have more than a million installations per year pay this commission. Non-profit organizations, government agencies and educational institutions are exempt from paying the CTF.

Apple today announced two new cases where CTF will not be charged:

• No revenue: if the developer does not have any revenue from the application (for example, it is free and does not contain advertising), he does not pay CTF. This rule helps students and hobbyists create popular apps without paying any fees.
• Small developers: developers with an annual income of less than 10 million euros do not have to pay CTF for the first three years. Even if their app exceeds one million installs per year during this period, no commission will be charged. If their revenue grows to €10-50 million, they will only start paying CTF after a million installations per year, with a limit of €1 million per year.

These changes are aimed at supporting small developers and stimulating innovation.

2. Updated Apple Developer Forums for WWDC24

The Apple Developer Forums have been updated for WWDC24 to make it easier to communicate with Apple experts, engineers, and other developers. This will help you find answers and get advice faster.

Apple has teamed up its Developer Relations and technical teams to answer your questions and resolve technical issues. You'll have access to an expanded knowledge base and fast response times, allowing you to quickly get back to working on your app or game.

Additionally, Apple Developer Program members now have priority access to expert advice in the forums.

ASO news from the App Store

Now on the AppStore, if you change the order of screenshots in test options that have already passed the test, you need to go through the test again.

News digest from Google Play

1. New Features of the Google Play SDK Console

SDKs (Software Development Kits) provide many benefits, but can affect applications in unpredictable ways. To help with this, in 2021 we launched the Google Play SDK Console, now available for all SDKs from verified Maven repositories.

Main Features of the SDK Console:

1. Statistics and Reports - access usage statistics, crash reports and ANR (application not responding) to resolve problems quickly.
2. Improved Communication - SDK providers can communicate directly with developers, identify and resolve issues before user complaints.
3. Updates and Recommendations - the ability to indicate outdated versions of the SDK and provide 90 days to update them.
4. Analytics and Decision Making - detailed analytics of SDK usage by application, country and version, which helps in product development.

The Google Play SDK Console improves communication between SDK providers and developers, improving the quality and security of applications.

2. I/O 2024: what's new on Google Play

Google I/O unveiled new features for app and game developers to help build trust, attract users, and optimize revenue.

Key updates:

1. Engage SDK:

• Expands your app's reach on the Play Store and beyond.
• Allows you to showcase important content and personalized recommendations.
• Integration takes about a week.

2. Google Play Games for PC:

• Expansion to 140 markets with a catalog of 3,000 games.
• Integration with Play gaming services to combine player progress and achievements.
• Using Play Points for coupons and in-game items.

3. Improved app launching tools:

• The new pre-checks combine several quality checks.
• Possibility to refuse unwanted releases before sending them for review.

4. Play Integrity API:

• New features to protect against unauthorized access.
• Screen-grabbing app detection and Play Protect verdicts.

5. Personalized store pages:

• Create lists based on keywords to optimize conversions.
• Display screenshots, ratings and reviews for different devices.

6. Deep Links:

• Increase engagement with a seamless transition from web to app.
• Ability to quickly fix links to content in the Play Console.

7. Revenue optimization with Google Play Commerce:

• Advanced payment options including Pix and UPI.
• Automatic update of price ranges and new installment subscription feature.
• New Play Billing Lab application for testing payment functions.

3. Second beta version of Android 15

The second beta version of Android 15 was released in May. This version aims to improve performance, reduce battery consumption, improve app smoothness, and provide a premium user experience. Additionally, the update improves user privacy and security by making apps available to more people across a diverse ecosystem of devices, semiconductor partners and carriers.

Main Update Goals:

• Productivity increase
• Reduced Battery Consumption
• Improving the Smoothness of Applications
• First-class User Experience
• Protecting User Privacy and Security
• Wide Availability of Apps

4. AI and new apps

Gemini in Android Studio: Your development assistant, offering code, app quality analysis, and multimodal data support.

Generative AI: Use the Gemini and Vertex AI APIs to build advanced applications. Companies like Patreon and Adobe are already using Gemini Nano to improve user experience.

ASO news from Google Play

The main news for the ASO community following the results of I/O 2024 was, of course, expanded lists of stores to attract users and optimize revenue with new payment options and improved security.

And news number two, but not least, is the ability to create lists based on what users are looking for. Tailoring store listings by search keywords will not only make their content more relevant, but will also help you target users who are actively looking for the benefits of your app. Play Console will even suggest keywords for potentially effective store listings.

Optimize and stay on trends💙