App Store

Apple used to limit the size of App Store downloads over cellular to 150MBs to prevent iPhone users from accidentally downloading a large app over 3G or 4G networks and using up all their data allowance or running up data charges. In May 2019, Apple upped the limit of over-the-air downloads to 200MB, but offered no way to opt out of the limit at the time, leaving users with unlimited data...

It used to be the case that adding funds to your Apple ID required redeeming an iTunes Gift Card bought from a store, but Apple now lets you use a debit or credit card right on your iPhone or iPad to do the same thing. Adding funds to your Apple ID allows you to make purchases from the iTunes Store, iBooks Store, and App Store on any of your Apple devices. It's easy to add funds to your...

If you recently updated your iPhone to iOS 13 or your iPad to iPadOS 13 and you can't work out how to manually update your installed apps, then you've come to the right place. Apple has changed the way you update apps in iOS. In earlier versions of its mobile operating system, app updates lived in their own tab in the App Store app, but that has since had to make way for a new Apple Arcade...

Several TV and music services and other apps offer free trials through the App Store that automatically renew to become paid subscriptions after the trial period ends. If you want to prevent an App Store subscription from running beyond the trial period or cancel a subscription you're currently paying for, then read on. This article explains how to cancel any App Store subscription on iOS,...

Apple plans to change its U.S. App Store rules in accordance with a ruling from the U.S Northern District of California, Apple said in a statement to MacRumors. The company does plan to appeal the decision, though. "We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal," reads Apple's statement. Apple was found to be in violation of a 2021...

With the launch of iOS 18.4, Apple introduced a new App Store feature that summarizes multiple user reviews to provide an at-a-glance summary of what people think of an app or a game. In a new blog post on its Machine Learning Research blog, Apple provides some detail on how ‌App Store‌ review summaries work. Apple is using a multi-step large language model (LLM) system to generate the...

Utah today passed the App Store Accountability Act, a law that requires mobile app stores from Apple and Google to verify the age of users rather than having individual apps do age verification. According to CNBC, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill this afternoon. It is the first law related to mobile app store age verification that has passed in the U.S., and it will require Apple to ...

Apple has begun rolling out AI-generated summaries of App Store reviews in the latest iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 beta releases. The feature uses large language models to analyze user reviews and condense common themes into a short paragraph. First spotted by Macworld, the AI summaries appear just above the user reviews section on app listings. As part of a phased rollout, Apple says the...

Apple today said that it is implementing new features that are designed to make children safer online, including an updated age rating system, a simpler way for parents to set up child accounts, changes to what kids see on the App Store, and a new API that will let developers confirm age range to deliver age appropriate experiences to kids. The changes are outlined in a new Helping Protect...

Apple Fellow Phil Schiller testified in court on Monday that he initially opposed the 27% commission Apple now charges on purchases made outside the App Store, citing compliance risks and potential developer backlash (via AP News). Schiller, who oversees the App Store, said he had concerns that the fee would create an "antagonistic relationship" between Apple and developers, and worried...

Apps that have not complied with the trader requirement in the European Union have been removed from the App Store, Apple informed developers today. The apps that have been removed will not be allowed back in the ‌App Store‌ until trader status is provided and verified by Apple. Disclosing trader status is a requirement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in the EU. Developers who distribute...

TikTok is once again available for download from the App Store in the U.S., which means it can be installed on iPhones and will be able to receive updates. Apple's decision to start distributing TikTok again comes after a letter sent from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to Bloomberg, but the letter has not been shared. Apple removed TikTok from the U.S. App Store on January 18,...

Square Enix today announced that iOS game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is shutting down immediately, due to some kind of in-app purchase bug. Apparently customers have been unable to access content purchased in the iOS app for the last several weeks, which Square Enix says is "due to changes made to the in-app purchases model." Apple hasn't made any known changes to in-app purchases in...

Malware that includes code for reading the contents of screenshots has been found in suspicious App Store apps for the first time, according to a report from Kaspersky. Dubbed "SparkCat," the malware includes OCR capabilities for sussing out sensitive information that an iPhone user has taken a screenshot of. The apps that Kaspersky discovered are aimed at locating recovery phrases for...

Apple could be facing a potential Chinese antitrust investigation into its App Store policies and developer fees, reports Bloomberg. China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is said to have been critically examining Apple's practices and holding discussions with the company since last year, specifically about its 30% commission on in-app purchases and restrictions on...

Apple yesterday announced a new API to expand in-app purchase capabilities on the App Store, providing developers with new ways to support large content catalogs, creator-driven experiences, and customizable subscription models. The new "Advanced Commerce API" addresses three broad use cases: Apps offering extensive libraries of one-time purchase content, such as audiobooks or...

Apple today shared the most downloaded iPhone and iPad apps and games of the year, localized for more than 30 countries and regions around the world. The annual charts include the top free and paid apps and games, as well as the top Apple Arcade games, for the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ in the United States: Top Free iPhone Apps Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire Threads TikTok ChatGPT ...

Apple today revealed its 2024 App Store Award winners, including pro video camera app Kino, which was named iPhone App of the Year. There were 45 finalists across 12 categories, and 17 winners were ultimately selected. Apple said the awards recognize developers who delivered the "highest levels of user experience, design, and innovation" on the App Store this year. "We are thrilled to...

A Brazilian federal court has overturned an antitrust ruling that would have required Apple to allow third-party payment systems in the App Store within 20 days. The initial ruling, issued on November 26, came in response to a 2022 complaint from Latin American e-commerce platform MercadoLibre. The regulator had ordered Apple to remove restrictions on alternative payment systems and allow...

A UK class action lawsuit against Apple over App Store commission fees will proceed after judges dismissed the company's attempt to block the case, Bloomberg reports. Led by competition policy professor Sean Ennis, the suit alleges Apple's 15-30% commission on App Store sales creates an anti-competitive tax on the UK technology industry. The lawsuit seeks £785 million ($995 million) in...

Apple today revealed its 2024 App Store Awards finalists, including pro video camera app Kino, which is in the running for iPhone App of the Year. There are 45 finalists across 12 categories, including a first-ever Apple Vision Pro category. Apple said the awards recognize developers who delivered the "highest levels of user experience, design, and innovation" on the App Store this year....

The European Union has notified Apple that it may be violating EU anti-geo-blocking regulations with practices regarding its media services, giving the company one month to respond. The European Commission, in conjunction with the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, today announced that it has formally notified Apple regarding potential breaches of the EU's anti-geo-blocking...

The European Commission plans to fine Apple for not adequately complying with Digital Markets Act (DMA) requirements for the App Store, reports Bloomberg. Regulators apparently believe that Apple did not implement changes that allowed developers to steer users to cheaper prices outside of the ‌App Store‌. Back in June, the EU said that Apple was in breach of the DMA due to its anti-steering...

Apple has accidentally allowed an iPhone and iPad app that allows you to stream pirated movies and TV shows for free into the App Store, according to a post from Kevin Aubin on Threads. The post was earlier reported by The Verge. While the so-called "Univer Note" app's description says that it "can easily help you record every day's events and plan your time," it actually lets you stream...