iOS 26.3 Beta test: App Store advertising harder to recognize
In the future, users will see more advertising in Apple's software store. Apparently, it will also be more visually integrated – the overview suffers.
App Store advertising in iOS 26.3 Beta: Everything is white.
(Image: Apple / Screenshot via 9to5Mac)
Until now, pretty much everyone can see what is and isn't advertising appearing in the App Store on the iPhone: Apple uses a light blue background to distinguish paid search results from organic (or editorially selected) ones. This may no longer be the case in the future; report beta testers of iOS 26.3. Parts of the user base are now being shown ads that are hardly distinguishable from “real” search results. The ads then have a white background (see image above) just like all other apps on the search results page. The only indication that it is advertising is a small "ad" in the form of a small blue icon, as was previously known.
More ads already possible
It is still unclear whether this new design for App Store advertising will actually reach all users or if it will remain a test. Apple currently appears to be conducting an A/B test for the aforementioned beta testers of iOS 26.3. The new operating system is expected in February, and Apple has not yet commented on the new advertising format in response to an inquiry from the blog 9to5Mac.
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However, it is clear that Apple will place more advertising in the App Store overall. This was already announced in December. The plan: Paid ads for apps will no longer just be shown at the top but also when scrolling. The new ad placements are already supported on devices with the current versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. Apple stated the goal as providing “more opportunities for advertisers to generate downloads from search results.”
Hardware business and advertising collide
Apple auctions ad placements as part of an auction system, whereby developers and software distributors cannot decide for themselves where the ads are placed; according to the company, this has to do with the relevance and bid for the respective keyword. Apple offers pay-per-click (CPT) and pay-per-install (CPI) pricing models. According to Apple, 800 million users visit the App Store per week, with search being the most important way for users to find apps, accounting for 65 percent of all installs.
It is therefore important to remain transparent here so that users see that they are clicking on paid advertising. If the light blue background is missing, the line between organic search results and advertising blurs. Apple's strategy here is reminiscent of Google, where search results were also clearly separated from advertising in the past. Apple is currently trying to increase its advertising business, which is part of its rapidly growing services business. This, in turn, clashes with Apple's image of earning its money primarily from privacy-friendly hardware and related services: users would rather not pay a lot of money for devices while simultaneously being bombarded with ads.
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