[45] Apple expanded search ads to the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in April 2017, along with more configurable advertising settings for developers.

The new design features a greater focus on editorial content and daily highlights, and introduces a "cleaner and more consistent and colorful look" similar to several of Apple's built-in iOS apps.

[62][63] In December 2017, Apple announced that developers could offer applications for pre-order, letting them make apps visible in the store between 2–90 days ahead of release.

During the week starting on Christmas Eve, a record number of customers made App Store purchases, spending more than $890 million in that seven-day period.

[67] In 2019 and 2020, Apple was frequently criticized by other companies such as Spotify,[68] Airbnb[69] and Hey[70] and regulators for potentially running the App Store as a monopoly and overcharging developers, and was the target of lawsuits and investigations in the EU and United States.

[76] Later in December 2022, a report by Bloomberg noted that the company had begun making preparations for opening up sideloading and alternative app stores on iOS, as compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act that had passed in September of that year.

[77] The same report also noted Apple planned to open up the NFC and camera systems on iOS and the Find My network to AirTag competitors like Tile.

[79] The SDK contains sets giving developers access to various functions and services of iOS devices, such as hardware and software attributes.

The "Freemium Model" makes the app download free, but users are offered optional additional features in-app that require payments.

[91] In-app subscriptions were originally introduced for magazines, newspapers and music apps in February 2011, giving developers 70% of revenue earned and Apple 30%.

On July 10, 2008, Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs told USA Today that App Store contained 500 third-party applications for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, and of these 125 were free.

[187] Additionally, another update to App Store policies allows users to optionally "tip" content creators, by voluntarily sending them money.

[188][189] A privacy experiment conducted in 2019 by the Washington Post determined that third-party apps transmitted a host of personal data without the user's knowledge or consent, including phone number, email, exact location, device model and IP address, to "a dozen marketing companies, research firms and other personal data guzzlers" via 5,400 hidden app trackers.

[199] In November 2014, Apple removed the marijuana social networking app MassRoots, with the reason given that it "encourage[d] excessive consumption of alcohol or illegal substances.

"[200] In February 2015, MassRoots was reintroduced into the store after Apple changed its enforcement guidelines to allow cannabis social apps in the 23 states where it is legal.

[202][203][204] A security firm later published lists of infected apps, including a China-only version of Angry Birds 2, CamCard, Lifesmart, TinyDeal.com, and WeChat.

In one instance, an app by the name of "Mobile protection :Clean & Security VPN" [sic] would require payments of $99.99 for a seven-day subscription after a short trial.

[217][218] In December 2017, a new report from TechCrunch stated that Apple had begun enforcing new restrictions on the use of "commercialized template or app generation services".

A third company said that "Rule 4.2.6 is a concrete illustration of the danger of Apple's dominant position", and a fourth said that "They’ve wiped out pretty much an entire industry.

This followed the government's efforts in 2012 to block the Times' website after stories of hidden wealth among family members of then-leader of China, Wen Jiabao, were published.

[223] The following July, it was reported that Apple had begun to remove listings in China for apps that circumvent government Internet censorship policies and new laws restricting virtual private network (VPN) services.

Maya Wang at Human Rights Watch told The Washington Post that "Cook's appearance lends credibility to a state that aggressively censors the internet, throws people in jail for being critical about social ills, and is building artificial intelligence systems that monitors everyone and targets dissent.

The version of cyberspace the Chinese government is building is a decidedly dystopian one, and I don't think anyone would want to share in this ‘common future.’ Apple should have spoken out against it, not endorsed it.

[237] However, TechCrunch's Jon Russell criticized this line of thinking, writing that "Firstly, Apple didn't just remove a 'couple of things' from the reach of China-based users", but rather "a couple of hundred" apps, acknowledging that "even that is under counting".

Furthermore, Russell listed censorship efforts by the Chinese government, including VPN bans and restrictions on live video and messaging apps, and wrote that "Apple had little choice but to follow Beijing's line in order to continue to do business in the lucrative Chinese market, but statements like Cook's today are dangerous because they massively underplay the severity of the situation".

Apple released a memo that month telling developers of premium games and apps with in-app purchases had until December 31 to submit proof of a government license.

[246] A director of the aforementioned campaign, Katie Paul, criticised Apple's removals stating "if it's going to bend to political pressure, the company should explain why and what they would lose if they didn't do that."

CEO Tim Cook has previously defended such company actions, stating in a memo to employees in 2019 that "national and international debates will outlive us all, and while important, they do not govern the facts.

Since as early as 2017, Tim Sweeney had questioned the need for digital storefronts like Valve's Steam, Apple's iOS App Store, and Google Play, to take a 30% revenue sharing cut, and argued that when accounting for current rates of content distribution and other factors needed, a revenue cut of 8% should be sufficient to run any digital storefront profitably.

[257] Within hours, Apple had removed Fortnite from their storefronts stating the means of bypassing their payment systems violated the terms of service.