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After announcing last year that the App Store would get more ads in 2026, Apple has updated its official documentation to reveal that the App Store will indeed get more ads starting in March. While the company says this “increases opportunity in search results” for buyers, this feels like a non-Apple path to follow. In a support page, the company reveals that nearly 65% of downloads come from search results, and this change will help advertisers get more downloads.
According to 9to5Mac, the UK and Japan will be the first regions to see an increase in the number of ads starting March 3, with a complete rollout to all markets by the end of the month. The new ad experience will be available on iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. Ads will appear as they already did, in the Search section, Today tab, and at the bottom of product pages — except you’ll see them more often.
The App Store is set to become home to a lot more ads
As Apple searches for other ways to increase its revenue, and with the App Store coming under government scrutiny, the company will now display ads in more than just the first search result. According to the company, ads can appear multiple times as you scroll through search results. Notably, advertisers can’t bid for a specific spot, as Apple’s own algorithm will determine the order. Besides that, ads will continue to be labeled and will have a different blue background. Apple also explains how ads will be shown relevant to search queries, keywords, and bids.
With this change, however, Apple gives even more chances for big corporations to get more downloads, while indie developers and small studios might suffer from low visibility. These changes are still a few months away, but they seem like the beginning of the end to the App Store we always knew. Besides that, it seems the App Store won’t be the only place getting more ads in 2026. Apple Maps is also said to receive ads on the iPhone soon.
