Apple is preparing to expand its advertising footprint inside the App Store, a move that signals the growing importance of App Store search ads as a core discovery and monetization channel in the mobile marketing ecosystem.
According to an update published on Apple’s Ads website, Apple will introduce additional advertising placements within App Store search results beginning in early 2026. The change is designed to give developers more opportunities to increase app visibility and drive downloads, while preserving the existing structure of campaigns and billing.
Until now, App Store search ads have appeared primarily at the top of search results. Under the expanded model, ads will also be shown further down the search results page. Apple said existing campaigns will automatically be eligible for these new placements, meaning advertisers will not need to create new campaigns or adjust their current settings to benefit from the added inventory.
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The rollout is expected to begin in early 2026 and will apply to devices running iOS 26.2 or later.
Apple underscored that search remains the dominant discovery mechanism on the App Store, with nearly 65 percent of all downloads occurring directly after a user performs a search. The company positioned the expansion as a way to improve discoverability for apps without introducing added complexity for advertisers.
Importantly, Apple confirmed that advertisers will not be able to choose or bid on specific ad positions within search results. As with the current system, placement will be determined automatically based on a combination of bid value and relevance to the user’s query. Apple will continue to manage ad matching internally, reinforcing its emphasis on relevance and user experience.
The company also stated that billing mechanics will remain unchanged. App Store search ads will continue to operate on Apple’s cost per tap model, meaning developers are only charged when a user taps on their ad. The ad format itself will also stay consistent, supporting default or custom product pages with optional deep links.
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For marketers and developers, the update reflects a broader trend toward monetizing high intent environments where users are actively looking for solutions. In the context of rising competition and increasing app discovery costs, the expansion of App Store search ads could provide incremental performance gains without requiring additional operational overhead. Industry observers note that this approach aligns with Apple’s broader strategy of growing its services and advertising revenue while maintaining strict control over user experience.
As Apple prepares to expand App Store search ads in 2026, the move reinforces search as a critical battleground for app discovery. By increasing available ad inventory while keeping formats, bidding logic, and billing unchanged, Apple is positioning App Store search ads as a scalable, low friction growth lever for developers navigating an increasingly competitive mobile marketplace.
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