Ever since the App Store launched in 2008, Apple has required developers to pause any update activity or price changes for the duration of the Christmas/holiday season. But this year, for the first time, that won’t be the case.
According to an announcement on Apple’s developer pages, iOS developers are now free to submit their changes all year round.
“This year,” the announcement reads, “we’re pleased to continue accepting submissions in App Store Connect throughout the upcoming holidays. Make sure your apps are up to date and ready for the busiest season on the App Store.”
The only caveat is that it may take a little longer than usual to approve new apps during Thanksgiving weekend (24-28 November) and Christmas week (23-27 December), Apple warns. “Due to anticipated high volume,” the company advises, “plan to send time-sensitive submissions early.”
Based on past experience, we’ll likely see a lot of price cuts around the holidays, so if you’re thinking about buying new apps or games, we’d advise playing it cool and waiting for a few more weeks.
For our advice on that score, check out our roundup of the best iPad and iPhone games. And for a more general view of bargains worth grabbing, check our summary of the best Black Friday Apple deals.
This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation (using DeepL) and additional reporting by David Price.
Author: Mikael Markander, Contributing Editor
Mikael is an editor for Macworld Sweden. He covers the latest news about a wide variety of Apple products, including the iPhone and AirPods.