ASO News. November 2025
In this ASO News issue for November 2025, we take a detailed look at the major changes in the App Store and Google Play that influence mobile app optimization strategies. These updates will help us stay ahead of the competition and effectively adapt ASO tactics to new rules and opportunities.
Apple App Store: key news and ASO insights
- Updated App Review Guidelines
Apple updated its App Review Guidelines. The main changes include:
- Content and age rating: Apps that allow users to create content must provide tools to mark content that exceeds the app’s age rating and restrict access to underage users.
- Advertising: The rule prohibiting empty ad banners and test ads has been removed.
- Loan apps: The maximum APR must not exceed 36% including all fees, and repayment terms cannot require full payoff within 60 days or less.
- Icons and branding: Apps must not use another developer’s brand, logo, or product name in their app icon or name without permission.
- HTML5 mini-apps: Clarified that mini-apps and mini-games built with HTML5/JavaScript fall under these guidelines.
- External software within the app: Apps offering software not embedded in the binary cannot extend or expose native platform APIs without Apple's approval and must also support age-rating controls.
- Crypto exchanges: Added to the list of highly regulated app categories.
- Data sharing and AI: Developers must clearly disclose when personal data is shared with third parties, including third-party AI, and obtain explicit consent.
- Introduction of the App Store Mini Apps Partner Program
Apple launched the Mini Apps Partner Program — a new program for apps that offer mini-apps. These are small, standalone experiences built with web technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript.
The goal of the program is to help developers hosting mini-apps grow their businesses and expand the presence of these solutions in the App Store, while ensuring a safe and seamless user experience.
Benefits of participating in the program:
Developers can receive a reduced 15% commission on eligible in-app purchases.
To qualify for the reduced rate, apps must support specific App Store technologies, including the Declared Age Range API and Advanced Commerce API, which help ensure a safe and consistent experience for users of all ages.
- App Store Awards finalists announced
The App Store Awards celebrate apps and games that improve people’s lives, impress with innovation, delight with design, and create cultural impact. In 2025, the App Store Editorial team selected 49 finalists, with winners to be announced in the coming weeks.
You can view the full list here.
Google Play: key news and ASO insights
- November Google Play system and Play Services update
Google released a major update to Android system components — the Google Play system update and Google Play Services. It includes improvements in security, stability, and user experience, as well as new developer capabilities.
Main changes include:
- Google Play Services 25.46 — updated ad services, location and context signals, device connectivity, and tools for content-driven apps.
- Google Play Store 49.0 — improved loading speed, revamped recommendation mechanics, upgraded Google Wallet integrations, and enhanced subscription and billing management.
- WebView — received updates improving the performance of embedded web components, important for hybrid apps.
- Security — the November Android and Play System security patch addresses multiple vulnerabilities and enhances data protection infrastructure.
- Publication of Google Play Best of 2025
Google announced the winners of the annual Best of Google Play awards — highlighting the top apps and games of the year across multiple categories, including “App of the Year”, “Game of the Year”, “Cultural Impact”, “Best for Tablets”, and others.
Main highlights:
- App of the Year: Focus Friend
- Game of the Year: Pokémon TCG Pocket
- Educational, music, meditation, and social apps were also highlighted — trends that gained momentum in 2025.
The Best of 2025 collection is a useful benchmark for identifying which types of apps users value and which Google recognizes as high-quality and innovative.
- Developer updates and new tools
The November Google Play update brought changes that directly impact developers:
- Improved tools for managing subscriptions, auto-billing, and subscriber recovery.
- Expanded APIs for ads and monetization optimization — especially useful for UA and ASO specialists.
- Enhanced tools for ratings, reviews, and testing distribution, helping fine-tune store listing performance and featuring potential.
- New features for Google Wallet and device integrations — an important trend for e-commerce and service apps.
Stay tuned for more updates 💙
