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Comprehensive overview of October updates on Apple App Store, Google Play, and AltStore, covering compliance, keywords, payments, and distribution.
October brought another wave of meaningful updates across both Apple's App Store and Google Play.
While some changes focused on compliance and pricing, others touched on discovery, personalization, and developer flexibility.
Here's everything you need to know from this month, and how it may shape your app growth strategy.
Apple refreshed its Developer Program License Agreement this month, aligning it with new EU data regulations and payment API policies.
The update adds language around interpreted code use, clarifies how Tap to Pay APIs are distributed, and revises how promo and offer codes are handled.
For developers, it's mostly compliance housekeeping — but worth checking if your app uses server-side scripts, Tap to Pay, or Apple's cloud services.
A new state law in Texas will require stronger age verification and parental consent for users under 18 starting January 2026.
Apple plans to introduce supporting APIs and new consent flows within App Store Connect.
Developers targeting the U.S. market — especially family or teen apps — should monitor rollout details and plan for potential UX adjustments.
Since October 1, many ASO experts have observed a keyword ranking freeze (“lock”) across multiple markets.
Apple appears to have adjusted its Search Ads Platform (SAP) and temporarily paused keyword ranking updates. On October 11, some rankings briefly refreshed but quickly froze again — and as of late October, most have yet to normalize.
According to our ASO analysts, these freezes typically happen during major algorithm or data-processing updates, when Apple suspends ranking recalculations.
While keyword movements are limited, install and campaign performance remain active — the rankings just aren't being visually refreshed.
In most cases, keyword freezes last 1–2 weeks, but this round seems tied to a larger search algorithm adjustment. Experts expect rankings to resume normal updates soon.
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Starting January 2026, apps offering "Sign in with Apple" in South Korea must support a server-to-server notification endpoint for account-status changes like deletions or email forwarding updates.
If your app has Korean users, now's the time to prepare your backend for this requirement — it's all about transparency and user-data consistency.
Apple faced a major legal setback in the UK this month after the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled that the company abused its dominant market position through App Store commission practices between 2015 and 2020.
The court found that Apple's commission structure — typically 15–30% — limited competition and inflated prices for both developers and consumers. The case covers an estimated 20–36 million UK users, with potential damages reaching £1.5 billion (≈ $2 billion). Apple has stated it will appeal the ruling.
For developers, this case could influence future commission structures and payment policy changes, especially within the UK and EU markets where regulatory pressure continues to grow.
Apple also rolled out new developer tools designed to simplify app management and marketing.
You can now create up to 70 Custom Product Pages (double the previous limit), apply Offer Codes to all IAP types, and even submit certain assets while a version is under review.
Together, these changes give developers more creative control — and faster turnaround for seasonal updates or A/B testing.
Another wave of App Store price updates is coming mid-November, affecting markets like Poland, Switzerland, and Türkiye.
If you rely on Apple's automatic pricing tiers, your local prices may shift slightly to reflect currency and tax changes.
Subscriptions won't be affected, but it's still a good idea to review your pricing page and check that value perception remains consistent across regions.
In October, Google rolled out a series of Play services, Play Store, and Android system updates aimed at improving app functionality, device connectivity, and user experience across phones, tablets, Wear OS, Auto, and Chrome OS.
Developers gained new APIs for multi-device support, Maps, Ads, and account management, while Wallet received enhancements for travel updates, loyalty passes, and corporate credentials.
System updates also focused on security, privacy, and performance improvements, and the Play Store introduced more personalized recommendations and content discovery.
These updates provide opportunities for developers to enhance app experiences, support new device features, and optimize visibility, while users benefit from smoother interactions and more tailored content.
U.S. apps can now offer third-party payment options or external download links, reducing reliance on Google Play Billing.
Enables lower-fee payment methods or custom checkout flows
Compliance with Google's policies still required
New Age-Assurance APIs will be mandatory in certain U.S. states starting January 2026.
Developers should integrate parental consent and verification features early to ensure smooth compliance.
This October, AltStore announced global expansion and integration with the federated social web (Fediverse).
The platform plans to reach new markets including Japan, Brazil, and Australia, while enabling users to interact with app updates across networks like Mastodon and Bluesky.
AltStore also secured $6 million in funding to support its infrastructure and federated strategy.
For developers, this opens new distribution channels and engagement opportunities outside traditional app stores, while signaling growing competition in the app ecosystem.
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