# ASO Monthly #109: Massive Algorithm Change, Apple’s Transparency Report, WWDC25, Instant Apps being removed and More!

- Link: https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/
- Published: 2025-07-16T14:32:37+01:00
- Author: Talha Mumtaz

###     Table of Contents

 * [Major Apple App Store Algorithm Update](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#major_apple_app_store_algorithm_update)
 * [Apple’s App Store Transparency Report](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#apples_app_store_transparency_report)
 * [Apple WWDC 2025: App Store Updates](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#apple_wwdc_2025_app_store_updates)
 * [Google to remove Instant Apps](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#google_to_remove_instant_apps)
 * [Interesting Reads/Listens/Watches](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#interesting_readslistenswatches)
 * [ASO With Phiture’s Experts](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#aso_with_phitures_experts)

Welcome to this month’s edition of ASO Monthly — your go-to update for the most 
impactful developments in App Store Optimization. Each month, we cover algorithm
changes, emerging trends, conversion rate optimization insights, tool updates, and
everything that matters in the world of app stores.

📬 Subscribe to our newsletter to get ASO Monthly in your inbox every month:

 

---

 

## Subscribe to the ASO Monthly Newsletter

Get the latest ASO updates straight to your inbox, once a month.

 

---

 

 

**June 06**

## Major Apple App Store Algorithm Update

Between June 6-8, AppTweak detected a significant global algorithm shift, with the
US, UK, and South Africa most affected. Many apps saw sharp ranking drops on competitor
and loosely related keywords. While the exact changes remain speculative, some theories
suggest screenshots may now be indexed, brand names only partially indexed, and 
AI possibly integrated into the algorithm.

![](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ASO-Monthly-109-1-1024x512.jpg)

Source: [AppTweak Algorithm Change Detector](https://www.apptweak.com/en/free-tools/algorithm-change-detector?view=chart&country=us&language=en&device=iphone&store=ios&startDate=2025-04-16&endDate=2025-07-15)

 

 

**June 01**

## Apple’s App Store Transparency Report

In late May, Apple released its latest App Store Transparency Report, offering valuable
insights for App Store watchers and ASO professionals alike. Though just two pages
long, the report provided a clear snapshot of how the App Store evolved over the
course of 2024. Below are some key takeaways:

 * 1,961,596 apps were available on the App Store by the end of 2024, marking a 
   +4.9% year-over-year increase.
 * The store saw an average of 839 million downloads per week (+6.5% YoY), alongside
   a staggering 1.9 billion redownloads weekly.
 * 169,235 apps appeared in the Top 10 search results for at least 1,000 keywords
   each week, while 1.38 million apps reached a Top 10 position at some point during
   the year.
 * On average, 440.9 million customer accounts used App Store search each week.

You can read the full report [here](https://www.apple.com/legal/more-resources/docs/2024-App-Store-Transparency-Report.pdf).

 

**June 09**

## Apple WWDC 2025: App Store Updates

Following WWDC25, Apple unveiled several upcoming enhancements to the App Store 
experience. Among the highlights:

 * Custom Product Pages will soon be able to surface organically for specific keywords.
   When a user searches using one of these terms and the app appears in results,
   the relevant custom page may be displayed.
 * A new system of AI-powered App Store tags will be introduced. These tags, automatically
   generated based on an app’s metadata, will help users discover apps with similar
   features or use cases. Developers will have the option to remove these tags, 
   but they won’t be able to add new ones. Tapping a tag will lead users to a curated
   space showcasing apps with related characteristics.

Phiture prepared a full overview of relevant updates from WWDC25 [here](https://phiture.com/blog/relevant-updates-from-apples-wwdc25/).

Additionally, you can watch a rundown on [Apple’s developer website](https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/328/).

![](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ASO-Monthly-109-2-1024x512.jpg)

Source: [Apple](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/whats-new/)

 

 

**June 17**

## Google to remove Instant Apps

Following a quiet notice spotted in Android Studio, Google has confirmed it will
discontinue Android Instant Apps by December 2025. Launched in 2017, Instant Apps
allowed users to run apps via a lightweight module (under 15 MB) without installing
them fully. Although initially promising (saving storage, speeding access, and reducing
data us) it never gained traction.

Source: [techloy](https://www.techloy.com/google-to-remove-instant-apps-from-play-store-in-2025/)

 

## Interesting Reads/Listens/Watches

[Mastering Google Play Custom Store Listings in 2025](https://phiture.com/asostack/google-play-custom-store-listings/)
| Phiture
 [What are the top Google Play ranking factors?](https://www.apptweak.com/en/aso-blog/google-play-ranking-factors)
| AppTweak [How to Read App Ranking Analytics and Find Growth Gaps](https://appfollow.io/blog/app-ranking-analytics)
| AppFollow

 

## ASO With Phiture’s Experts

The latest App Store Transparency Report reveals a striking insight: weekly redownloads
average now outpace new downloads by more than 2 to 1. For ASO practitioners and
mobile marketers, this underscores the increasing importance of retention and re-
engagement strategies. It’s no longer just about acquiring new users—it’s about 
bringing existing ones back. Tactics like in-app events targeting specific audience,
retargeting paid campaigns, and competitor keyword bidding in Apple Search Ads are
now more crucial than ever. That “new” download showing up in your competitor’s 
metrics? It might have been your churned user coming back through their funnel.

_— Talha Mumtaz, Growth Manager_

Table of Contents

 * [Major Apple App Store Algorithm Update](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#major_apple_app_store_algorithm_update)
 * [Apple’s App Store Transparency Report](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#apples_app_store_transparency_report)
 * [Apple WWDC 2025: App Store Updates](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#apple_wwdc_2025_app_store_updates)
 * [Google to remove Instant Apps](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#google_to_remove_instant_apps)
 * [Interesting Reads/Listens/Watches](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#interesting_readslistenswatches)
 * [ASO With Phiture’s Experts](https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-109-massive-algorithm-change-apples-transparency-report-wwdc25-instant-apps-being-removed-and-more/#aso_with_phitures_experts)
