App Store Adds 20 New Territories

March 26th, 2020

App Store Adds 20 New Territories
David Quinn

by David Quinn

VP of Strategy & Partnerships at Gummicube, Inc.

The App Store continues to expand across the world, with the announcement of 20 new countries. This increases the total number of countries the App Store is available in from 155 to 175, providing opportunities for app developers to reach new markets.

Apple’s Announcement

In an announcement from Apple, both emailed to developers and posted on the Developers Blog, the company stated that App Store support for 20 new countries will be added soon. Developers can make sure their apps are available in those countries automatically by accepting the updated Program License Agreement and selecting them under the Pricing and Availability section.

Apple suggests that developers prepare their apps for release in these new countries by April 10 as the new locations become available. This will allow them to be published as the store launches.

New Countries

With this expansion, the App Store will soon be available in:

  • Afghanistan
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Cameroon
  • Cote d’Ivoire
  • Gabon
  • Georgia
  • Iraq
  • Kosova
  • Libya
  • Maldives
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nauru
  • Rwanda
  • Serbia
  • Tonga
  • Vanuatu
  • Zambia

What Developers Should Do

Developers can allow their apps to be sold in these new countries by following a few simple steps:

1. The Account Holder needs to accept the updated Program License Agreement on the Apple Developer website (developers with a Paid Applications Agreement will also need to accept the updated agreement in App Store Connect)

2. Go to the Pricing and Availability section of the app information page

3. Select the “New Countries or Regions” checkbox

Developers will also be able to select specific new countries and adjust their default subscription pricing.

In 2018, Apple added new Search Ads territories as well as new App Store localization options. With the App Store reaching new countries, developers will want to consider where their apps will be available and how they’ll localize for the region.

Each new region may require localizations. Users in different locations can have different preferences for keywords and designs, which may require testing. It’s important to monitor trends and tests, as keeping up with changes and growth to user behavior is important for App Store Optimization.

The new App Store territories will present new opportunities for developers, but it will take research, testing and effort to take full advantage of these opportunities. With good App Store Optimization and tracking, developers will be able to launch apps that can reach and appeal to users all over the world.

Want more information regarding App Store Optimization? Contact Gummicube and we’ll help get your strategy started.

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