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August 2025 updates for App Store and Google Play: key changes, ASO insights, and actionable tips to boost app visibility and performance.
App store updates never slow down — for both developers and marketers, staying on top of them is key to making smarter growth decisions.
August brought a fresh round of changes across Apple App Store and Google Play. Some are technical, others more policy-driven, but all of them carry an impact on visibility, conversion, or compliance.
In this recap, we'll walk you through the highlights this August, so you can understand what changed and how it might affect your app strategy.
On August 21, Apple made changes to developer proceeds to account for new tax rules and exchange rate shifts.
While the update itself may look administrative, it can have a real impact on how your app is priced in different markets — and on how users perceive its value.
For developers, this is a good time to double-check regional price tiers and make small adjustments where needed to keep your pricing strategy consistent.
Apple quietly refreshed the App Store Review Guidelines:
Apps must clearly state how data is collected and used.
Any use of AI features (chatbots, recommendations, generative tools) must be transparently disclosed to users.
Privacy “nutrition labels” will be more strictly enforced.
Starting August 31, Google now requires all new apps and updates to target Android 15 (API level 35), while existing apps must at least meet Android 14 (API level 34) to remain visible to new users.
On the surface, it's a technical requirement, but for developers it directly impacts discoverability: apps that don't comply may quietly disappear from search and installs.
This is the moment to make sure your builds are updated and tested against the latest APIs so you don't risk losing visibility in the Play Store.
News & Magazine apps (effective Aug 27): Must clearly disclose ownership and sources, and meet stricter transparency standards.
Health apps (effective Aug 28): Require explicit health disclaimers and stricter privacy compliance for sensitive data.
To comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Google proposed lowering service fees for external payments:
First acquisition: 3–5% (down from 10%).
This change brings more flexibility in pricing and potentially higher margins, especially for subscription apps.
The next step is to weigh whether external billing makes sense for your audience and revenue model, and to prepare clear user flows if you decide to adopt it.
The August patch introduced:
Adaptive Connectivity Services for better performance.
Key Verifier enhancements.
Improved review analysis tools with sentiment chips for developers.
Battery usage warnings for watch face apps.
Starting September 2026, all Android developers must verify their identity, even for sideloaded apps or third-party stores. This means unverified apps may fail to install, creating friction in distribution.
So, you should check your Play Console details now and plan to complete verification if you distribute outside the Play Store.
In August, ASO World highlighted optimizing app titles with top regional keywords to boost visibility in auto-suggestions.
Review your title and include high-traffic, location-specific keywords to improve discoverability!
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