The changes were announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, where the company said it wants to make discovery more personal while also giving developers better management over promotion and subscriptions.

One of the additions is a feature called Personalised Collections. This will surface app recommendations based on a user’s interests and activity.

Apple says the suggestions will appear across the Apps, Games and Search tabs and will adjust over time as users download and interact with more apps.

Alongside this, App Notes will appear to explain why a particular app has been recommended.

These recommendations will begin rolling out in English in the United States first, with other regions and languages to follow later.

Developers will also get new marketing tools. Apple is introducing Creative Assets, which allow richer images and videos to appear on product pages and in search results. These assets can be used to highlight updates, seasonal offers or new features.

There is also a new Asset Library inside App Store Connect, a central storage system where developers can manage screenshots, preview videos and other promotional content in one place.

Apple says this will reduce repeated uploads and make campaigns easier to manage across different pages and events.

On the subscription side, Apple is expanding how apps can be sold to groups. Developers will be able to offer subscriptions to organisations using volume purchasing through Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager.

These purchases can be assigned across users through existing device management systems.

There is also a new group purchase option which allows one user to buy a subscription and invite others to join under the same plan. This will be handled through built-in invitation tools so users can accept and join without friction.

New App Store Bundles will also allow developers to package subscriptions from different apps together at a reduced price. In addition, Suites will let developers create grouped subscription packages that are not available as individual purchases.

Apple is also adding Retention Messaging tools, allowing developers to present tailored messages or offers when a user tries to cancel a subscription. The aim is to give users alternatives before they leave a service.

For app review and submission, Apple says it is simplifying the process. Developers will now be able to group multiple in-app purchases into a single submission for review, instead of sending them separately. This is designed to speed up approvals and reduce delays.

On the Mac App Store, Apple is also removing the requirement for Intel support. Developers can now ship apps built only for Apple silicon devices, cutting down on the need to maintain multiple versions.

Parental controls are also getting updates. New Time Allowances in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 will let parents set limits on how long children can use apps across categories such as games, entertainment and social media. Schedules will also allow access to be controlled at different times of the day.

Apple says apps will be categorised more strictly under this system. Developers will also need to update age rating details, including whether their apps involve social features such as user-generated content. These updates will feed into how apps are grouped for parental controls.

The company said the new model applies to auto-renewable subscriptions and is designed to give users lower monthly prices while helping developers secure steadier long-term income.

Under the system, customers can spread payments across 12 months instead of paying upfront for an annual plan. In return, developers may offer reduced monthly rates compared with standard month-to-month subscriptions.

Developers usually promote annual subscriptions by showing a cheaper monthly equivalent to persuade users to commit for longer. Apple is now building that option directly into the App Store system.

Users can cancel at any time, but the subscription will remain active until all agreed payments have been completed. It will not renew after the 12-month term if the user cancels before the end of the commitment.

To make terms clearer, customers will be able to check how many payments they have completed and how many remain through their Apple Account settings.

Apple also said it will send reminder emails and, for users who opt in, push notifications before renewal dates.

However, the new subscription option will not launch initially in the United States or Singapore. Apple did not give a reason for excluding the two markets.

Developers can already set up the feature in App Store Connect and test it through Xcode.

The option will be available worldwide, except for those two countries, for users running iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe 26.4, tvOS 26.4 and visionOS 26.4 or later, once iOS 26.5 and related software updates are released in May.

The company said users on paid plans like Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education, will not see adverts. 

The test applies only to logged-in users and is not running for accounts linked to people under 18.

OpenAI said the ads are clearly marked and kept separate from responses, also noting that they do not change how ChatGPT answers questions and advertisers cannot see user conversations or personal details. 

Only overall figures, such as how many people viewed or clicked an advert, are shared.

In a statement, the company said: “Ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you, and we keep your conversations with ChatGPT private from advertisers.”

The aim is to support free and low-cost access by helping to cover the cost of running the service. Individuals who do not want to see ads can upgrade to a paid plan or opt out on the Free tier, with fewer daily messages as a trade-off.

During the test, ads are chosen based on the topic of a conversation and past interactions with ads. For example, someone asking about cooking may see adverts linked to food shopping or meal services. 

The company said ads will not appear alongside topics such as health, mental health or politics.

Users can dismiss adverts, give feedback, see why a particular advert appeared, delete their ad data and adjust personalisation settings at any time, according to OpenAI.

This comes as the company looks for new revenue streams to support the growing use of its chatbot. Competitors have criticised the idea publicly, arguing that advertising could disrupt the user experience. 

OpenAI has rejected that view and says the trial is about learning from feedback before making any wider changes.

OpenAI also noted it will expand the programme only as safeguards improve, adding that privacy and safety will remain important as the test continues.