App Store

By MacRumors Staff
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The App Store is Apple's digital software distribution platform for iOS devices. First introduced in 2008, the App Store allows software developers to distribute content that has been created specifically for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Apps are also available on the Apple Watch through the iOS App Store.

There are well over a million apps in the App Store, and customers have downloaded more than 100 billion apps since the App Store debuted. App Store apps are available with three pricing options: free (and usually supported by ads), free with in-app purchases, or a set cost starting at $0.99 in the US.

In 2010, Apple introduced the Mac App Store for distributing content on Macs, and in 2015, Apple introduced the tvOS App Store, an app store for to the fourth-generation Apple TV.

App Store How Tos

How to Download Large Apps Over Cellular on iPhone and iPad

Monday February 3, 2020 11:56 am PST by
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...
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How to Add Funds to Your Apple ID on iPhone and iPad

Monday November 11, 2019 9:38 am PST by
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...
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How to Update Apps in iOS 13

Monday September 16, 2019 5:13 pm PDT by
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...
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How to Cancel App Store Subscriptions

Wednesday April 4, 2018 1:50 am PDT by
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,...
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App Store Articles

app store trader requirement dsa

Developers Must Share Phone Number and Address on EU App Store to Meet 'Trader' Requirement Starting in October

Thursday August 15, 2024 9:54 am PDT by
Apple today reminded developers who plan to distribute apps in the European Union to submit their trader status, a requirement that will see the App Store sharing the address, phone number, and email address of each developer. The information will be displayed on a developer's ‌App Store‌ page. The Digital Services Act (DSA) in the European Union requires Apple to verify and display trader...
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patreon app store fees

Apple Requiring Patreon to Use In-App Purchase and Pay 30% Fee for Memberships

Monday August 12, 2024 9:36 am PDT by
Patreon today confirmed upcoming changes to its iOS app, which will see fees for new subscriptions go up because Apple is enforcing its App Store rules on digital purchases. Apple is requiring Patreon to adopt the in-app purchase system, a process that Patreon started at the beginning of the year. In January 2024, Patreon started using in-app purchases and paying Apple a 30 percent fee on...
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App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Loosens App Store External Linking Rules and Changes Fee Structure in European Union

Thursday August 8, 2024 9:00 am PDT by
Apple is today announcing some updates to its Digital Markets Act compliance plan in the European Union, with changes to external linking that give developers more freedom to direct customers to non-App Store purchase options and sales. EU developers that are operating under the new App Store business terms or the prior ‌App Store‌ purchase terms can update their apps to communicate and...
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iOS App Store General Feature JoeBlue

Apple Updates App Store Guidelines for PC Emulator Apps

Thursday August 1, 2024 11:44 am PDT by
Apple today refreshed its App Store Guidelines created for developers, modifying the emulator rules to include express permission for PC emulators to download games. Guideline 4.7 has been updated to state that PC emulator apps can offer to download games. The guideline previously said that console emulator apps could include the option to download games, but it did not explicitly cover PC...
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Apple EU iOS Changes

iPadOS 18 Beta 2 Includes Alternative App Stores and Other EU Changes

Monday June 24, 2024 10:52 am PDT by
Apple today announced that the second beta of iPadOS 18 extends alternative app marketplaces and other app-related changes to the iPad in the EU. Apple first introduced these changes on the iPhone in the EU with iOS 17.4 earlier this year, to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act. The expansion of the changes to the iPad in the EU comes nearly two months after the European Commission said ...
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Antstream Arcade iPhone and Controller Feature

'Antstream Arcade' App With Over 1,300 Retro Games Launching on iPhone and iPad Next Week

Friday June 21, 2024 8:50 am PDT by
Antstream Arcade has announced that its cloud-based game streaming service will be available on the iPhone and iPad starting Thursday, June 27. The app will provide subscribers with access to over 1,300 licensed games from a variety of retro consoles, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, SEGA Genesis, and more. Earlier this year, Apple updated its guidelines to permit...
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App Store vs EU Feature 2

EU Reportedly Planning to Charge Apple for Violating Digital Markets Act

Friday June 14, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
The European Commission plans to charge Apple for violating the Digital Markets Act after determining that the iPhone maker is not complying with obligations to allow app developers to "steer" users to offers outside of the App Store without fees, according to the Financial Times, which cites three people familiar with the matter. It appears that the EU is taking issue with Apple's Core...
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Folium Alpha Sapphire Feature

Nintendo 3DS Emulator for iPhone Released in App Store With Caveats

Tuesday June 4, 2024 7:08 am PDT by
Folium has become the first Nintendo 3DS emulator for the iPhone available in the App Store, although there are some caveats to be aware of. Foremost, this is the first Nintendo emulator on the App Store that costs money. Folium developer Jarrod Norwell is charging $4.99 for the app, which is a bold choice given that Nintendo recently sued the developers of Yuzu, a Nintendo Switch emulator...
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2024 apple design award

Apple Design Award Finalists Announced Ahead of WWDC 2024

Tuesday May 28, 2024 11:20 am PDT by
As we prepare for the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple today announced its finalists for the Apple Design Awards. Apple chooses the best apps and games annually, announcing the winners at WWDC. The Apple Design Awards are meant to highlight apps with outstanding design, innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement. Apps have been selected in the following categories: Delight...
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iOS App Store General Feature Sqaure Complement

Apple Shares 2023 App Store Transparency Report

Friday May 17, 2024 2:20 pm PDT by
Apple today published its second annual App Store Transparency Report [PDF], highlighting details like the number of apps that were rejected during the year, the number of customer and developer accounts deactivated, the number of apps removed from the ‌App Store‌, and more. In 2023, there were 1,870,119 total apps available, and Apple reviewed 6,892,500 app submissions. 1,763,812 apps were...
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Delta App Icon Update Adobe AEM Feature

Game Boy Emulator 'Delta' for iPhone Updates App Icon After Adobe 'Threatened Legal Action'

Friday May 17, 2024 1:15 pm PDT by
The developers behind the popular Game Boy emulator Delta for the iPhone said they updated the app's icon today to avoid potential legal action from Adobe. Delta's new app icon (left) and Adobe's logo (right) "Adobe threatened legal action unless we changed our app icon — so we did," say the release notes for the latest version of Delta on the App Store. Delta's former icon does look like...
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Delta Hands On Feature

iPhone Emulators on the App Store: Game Boy, N64, PS1, PSP, and More

Thursday May 16, 2024 12:45 pm PDT by
In April, Apple updated its guidelines to allow retro game emulators on the App Store, and several popular emulators have already been released. The emulators released so far allow iPhone users to play games released for older consoles from Nintendo, Sony, SEGA, Atari, and others. A list of some popular emulators available on the App Store so far follows. Released Delta Delta is...
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app store fraud 2024

Apple Says It Stopped $7 Billion in Fraudulent Transactions in Last 4 Years

Tuesday May 14, 2024 10:14 am PDT by
Apple today shared its fourth annual fraud prevention analysis, providing insight into how the App Store's rules protect users from fraudulent apps and other security issues. Apple says that it prevented over $1.8 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2023 alone, and $7 billion during the period from 2020 to 2023. Apple blocked more than 14 million stolen credit cards and banned more than...
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ipad pro new blue

Apple Confirms iPadOS Will Get Same EU App Changes as iOS This Fall

Thursday May 2, 2024 8:01 am PDT by
Apple today confirmed that it will be bringing all of the app ecosystem changes made to iOS in the European Union to iPadOS in the fall. Earlier this week, the European Commission said that iPadOS is also a gatekeeper platform under the Digital Markets Act. EU developers will be able to distribute iPad apps outside of the App Store using alternative app marketplaces or websites, and all of...
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App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Tweaks EU Core Technology Fee to Avoid Bankrupting Unexpectedly Viral Apps

Thursday May 2, 2024 8:00 am PDT by
Apple today announced that it is tweaking the terms of the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee (CTF) that apps distributed using the new EU business terms must pay, introducing a solution that would keep small apps that go viral from being charged unreasonable fees. First, independent and small developers who earn no revenue at all will not have to pay the CTF. Students, hobbyists, and freeware...
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Whatsapp Feature

Apple Pulls WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads From App Store in China Following Order

Friday April 19, 2024 10:20 am PDT by
Apple on late Thursday into Friday removed the popular messaging and social media apps WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads from its App Store in China at the request of the Chinese government, The Wall Street Journal reported. In a statement shared with several media outlets, Apple said China's national internet regulator ordered the removal of the apps from the App Store in the country...
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Provenance Emulator

PlayStation and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store [Updated]

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, SEGA Genesis,...
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Emulators in the App Store What to Know 1

What to Know About Apple Allowing Game Emulators in the App Store

Wednesday April 17, 2024 11:46 am PDT by
Apple updated its App Review Guidelines this month to allow "retro game console emulator apps" on the App Store for the iPhone and other devices. Below, we outline everything to know about these emulators and available options so far. This information is up to date as of April 2024, but Apple's policies could change over time. What is Allowed Apple told us that emulators that can load...
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iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
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iGBA Feature Slashed

Apple Further Explains Why Game Boy Emulator iGBA Was Removed From App Store

Monday April 15, 2024 9:41 am PDT by
Over the weekend, a Game Boy emulator named iGBA appeared in the iPhone's App Store, but Apple quickly removed the app due to violations of the company's App Review Guidelines related to spam and copyright. Apple has since shared additional details about why it removed iGBA from the App Store, and it also clarified its guidelines for emulators. iGBA was a copycat version of developer Riley...
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