🎉 Today marks a special milestone — the release of the 100th edition of our ASO Monthly newsletter! Over the years, Phiture’s newsletter has become a go-to resource for app marketers, delivering valuable insights, strategies, and the latest updates in App Store Optimization. This journey has allowed us not only to keep the industry informed but to engage directly with the incredible ASO community and learn from each other.

With this 100th edition, we’re excited to reaffirm our commitment to continually improve and share knowledge with the mobile marketing space — We’re making the ASO ebook free for all, forever!

We’re thrilled to be on this journey with you, and will keep our dedication to supporting the growth and success of the mobile marketing community. 🚀

 

Download the ebook for free here.

 

September 12

Apple updates screenshot size requirements

With the release of the new iPhone 16 lineup, Apple has updated the screenshot size requirements on the App Store. When submitting your app, you’ll only need to provide screenshots in one size for iPhone (6.5” or 6.9”) and one size for iPad (13”). However, if you’d like, you can still include screenshots for any other iPhone or iPad display sizes that aren’t required. This should make creating and maintaining screenshots for the App Store much less complex.

 

September 16

Apple App Store search enhancements coming this fall

Apple has updated the “What’s New” section on its developer website, highlighting an exciting enhancement coming to App Store search this fall. The new feature, called Focus State, will display both recent and suggested searches. These suggested searches will be personalized based on user engagement and interactions with the App Store, making it easier for users to find relevant apps and games.

Source: Apple

 

September 13

iPad users can now download apps from alternative distribution channels

Starting September 16, users in the EU will be able to download iPadOS apps from both the App Store and alternative distribution channels. Additionally, iPadOS apps can now use alternative browser engines, and historical App Install Reports in App Store Connect will also include iPadOS data.

 

September 26

Regional age ratings coming to Australia and France

Apple is introducing new regional age ratings on the App Store for Australia and France to comply with local laws, ensuring a safer environment, especially for kids. In Australia, apps with simulated gambling will be labeled with an R18+ rating, while in France, apps with a 17+ global rating will also display an 18+ regional rating. These changes will roll out in the coming months, with no action required from developers, and regional ratings will appear alongside Apple’s global age ratings where necessary.

 

September 30

Google Play starts auto-launching apps five seconds after installation

As reported by Android Police, Google began testing this feature in June and it surfaced more widely in September. The feature can be enabled via an “Auto-open” toggle that appears below the “Cancel” and “Open” buttons during app downloads. If activated, apps will auto-open shortly after being installed, with a progress bar and countdown notification reflecting this process. Thankfully, the feature is off by default and only applies to the specific device where it’s enabled. The feature isn’t available on all the devices yet and is rolling out in intervals.

 

September 26

Users can now update multiple apps simultaneously on Google Play

According to a report by The Verge, Google Play is rolling out a feature that allows users to update and install multiple apps simultaneously. This is a significant time-saver, especially for users with many apps, as manually updating them has been a time-consuming process. In our tests, we found that up to three apps can be updated at once, streamlining the process and enhancing user convenience.

 

Interesting Reads/Listens/Watches

The Most Popular App Store Keywords of 2024 | AppTweak

App Download Estimates Explained by Our Data Scientists | AppTweak

13 Examples On How To Get More App Reviews In 2025 | AppFollow

5 Essential Factors in Competitor Analysis for Mobile Apps | AppRadar

Mobile game marketing: Essential strategies made simple | AppsFlyer

 

Phiture’s ASO tips of the month:

When testing the short description for your app on Google Play, it’s crucial to carefully balance visibility and conversion. This is because, for brand-centric apps, conversion often tends to be more important than visibility, especially when the app isn’t attracting much traffic from discovery-focused keywords. However, if your app is generating significant traffic from such keywords, incorporating them into the short description can boost conversions. Understanding your app’s traffic sources is key to optimizing your short description for the best results.

— Talha Mumtaz, Growth Manager

 

High app engagement can lead to better app ratings and reviews, which in turn increases conversion rates and strengthens App Store Optimization (ASO). Enhanced retention helps reduce churn, promoting sustained organic growth that positively impacts app visibility and improves keyword rankings over time.

— Chris Yim, Growth Lead (Retention Expert)

 

The creative process for App Store Optimization (ASO), involves a strategic blend of visual appeal and clear messaging to capture user attention and boost downloads. It begins with researching competitors and understanding user preferences, followed by crafting designs that highlight key features, unique selling points, and the app’s value proposition. Screenshots should be vibrant, readable, and informative. Testing different design variations and analyzing user response data helps refine the visuals to maximize conversion rates and engagement.

— Mariano Briozzo, Senior Graphic Designer

 

Q4 is one of the most crucial periods for advertisers but it can prove costly and inefficient if not done right. Make sure to research demand patterns throughout the quarter as there can be a lot of volatility depending on your vertical. This is the time to build on historic learnings and launch tried and tested creatives proven to convert. Alignment between ASO and PM here is crucial because we often see vastly different approaches between creative and messaging due to team silos leading to suboptimal results

— Emil Dimitrov, Growth Lead (Performance Marketing)