Ads in the Apple App Store are nothing new, and they’ve reached places such as the Today tab and the search results. Until now, those ads were relatively easy to recognize as sponsored content, but that may be about to change.
Apple’s new App Store design makes ads feel like organic results
Apple is testing a new design for the ads that appear in the search results inside the App Store. The new design doesn’t include the blue background that differentiated ads from organic search results. 9to5Mac reports that the new design is seen by some iPhone users with iOS 26.3.
With the new design, users can only differentiate between organic and promoted search results by noticing the small “Ad” banner next to the app icon. That change appears to be part of an A/B test Apple is conducting, so it may not be the final design of the App Store search results.
Part of wider App Store changes
Comparison of the old and the new App Store search ads design. | Image credit — 9to5Mac
Last month, Apple announced its plans to introduce changes to the App Store search results. The company then said it would start including more than one sponsored result for any search query. Those additional ads will appear at the top and further down the search results.
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The redesigned ads are likely part of the company’s efforts to make them feel more integrated. However, that could feel misleading to some users who would like to know when a search result is sponsored.
Have you ever found an App Store ad helpful?
Yes, I’ve found various nice apps through ads
0%
No, but I don’t mind the ads
33.33%
No, and the ads are usually useless
66.67%
Google also serves ads in various parts of the Play Store, including in the search results. Those often include a single-app ad and another row of apps, both of which have a “Sponsored” tag.
Protect the revenue
One thing that will surely improve with such a design is the click-through rate of Apple’s App Store search ads, which is good for the revenue. Users, on the other hand, may end up getting lower-quality search results and installing unwanted apps. That’s enshitification in action, and I can only hope that the test won’t turn into the final design.
Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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