Apple plans to expand advertising placements within its App Store search results early next year, broadening ads beyond the single sponsored position that currently appears at the top of queries, the company said in a blog post.
The move targets search, where Apple says roughly 65 percent of app downloads begin, and is designed to give developers and advertisers more opportunities to reach users as competition for visibility intensifies.
Ads will continue to be priced under existing models, including cost per tap and cost per install, depending on campaign settings.
Under the new format, search ads will no longer be limited to the top sponsored slot. Instead, ads may also appear further down the search results page, a shift that could influence how users discover apps and how developers compete for market share on Apple’s tightly controlled platform.
Advertisers already running search campaigns will automatically be eligible for the additional placements, Apple said. Companies will not be able to select or bid on a specific position, and ads will appear in the same format regardless of where they are shown in the results. Existing campaigns will not need to be modified to participate.
Ads are typically generated from an app’s default product page, but developers can also create variations using custom product pages through App Store Connect. These variations allow advertisers to tailor creative to specific audiences or keyword themes, offering greater flexibility in messaging.
Apple said developers can also use deep links when setting up ads, directing users to specific locations within an app rather than its main landing page. Deep linking for search placements will be supported on devices running iOS or iPadOS 18 and later.
Ads are matched to user searches through selected keywords or those suggested by Apple’s automated tools, which assess relevance alongside bid levels. Apple said its keyword technology delivers average conversion rates exceeding 60% for ads placed at the top of search results.
The expansion underscores Apple’s growing focus on advertising as a revenue stream, while reinforcing its role as gatekeeper to app discovery on its ecosystem.
