The Apple App Store rolls out personalized recommendations

Finding a new app on Apple’s App Store is about to become less about browsing the top charts or selecting curated collections from App Store editors. Apple this week announced a series of discovery features that will personalize app recommendations based on users’ interests and behavior, providing a new way for developers to discover their apps.

At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the iPhone maker introduced personalized groups in the App Store, which will display recommendations tailored to the individual. These will also include new App Feedback that explains why specific apps are recommended for you. Starting this week, you’ll find these new personalized suggestions in different places in the App Store, including the Apps or Games tab, or in the Search tab.

Suggestions will also evolve over time based on the user’s app usage and downloads.

Apple says the feature will initially be available in English in the United States, and will expand to other regions and languages ​​over time. It complements a host of other new tools designed to help developers better promote their apps to potential customers and encourage users to return to their apps and games.

The update reflects the maturity of the App Store ecosystem, where being featured by Apple’s App Store editors or made an “App of the Week” is no longer enough to drive guaranteed growth. As competition for users’ attention increases, a selection of new tools can help re-engage existing customers, promote special offers, and bundle services together in new ways.

For example, developers will now be able to use rich images and videos in the header of their product page and search results that can highlight new content or seasonal offers, which could encourage existing users to return to the app to see what’s new. They can also organize all of their different marketing materials into a new asset library, where they can store regularly used assets for things like in-app events and special sales or promotions. Developers can also offer special offers and engage players on the Apple Games app.

Apple will also allow app bundles for developers who operate subscription businesses, allowing them to partner with other developers to offer bundles of subscription apps at a lower price than if they were purchased as separate subscriptions.

Under the new system, developers will also be able to sell subscriptions to larger groups and organizations using new options to build multi-user in-app purchasing experiences.