Apple is making important changes in the App Store, which may have consequences for you. This changes.
Changes in the App Store
There are changes again for the App Store! Apple has made several adjustments in the past year, which in most cases were the result of European legislation. For example, developers have been given more freedom when promoting actions and discounts in the App Store and developers have a smaller percentage to Apple. Now Apple has announced even more adjustments, because there will be more age restrictions in the web store.
At the moment the App Store has already indicated four age limits, which happens with games intended for four years, nine years, twelve years and seventeen years and older. The last two age classifications are being replaced by new categories, because Apple will soon distinguish between games intended for thirteen years, sixteen years or eighteen years and older. Because of these changes, Apple will soon use five age classifications in the App Store.
More Age Classifications
These new age classifications apply as an extension to parental supervision in screen time. Parents can limit this position which applications are installed on a child’s device. Parents will soon get more options, because they can set the age limit at thirteen, sixteen or eighteen years old. With these changes, the classifications in the App Store fit better with the age of the child.
To determine the age label, Apple looks at the content of the games. For example, applications with information about medical treatments automatically receive an age classification of sixteen years or older. Applications with material about gambling games or references to alcohol or drug use are given an age label of eighteen years or older. The changes in the age classifications in the App Store make it easier to determine whether an app is suitable for yourself or your family.
App Store in iOS 26
The new age classifications apply as a replacement with the existing categories in the App Store. That means that the labels will disappear in the web store for twelve and seventeen years and older. Instead, Apple introduces the classifications thirteen, sixteen and eighteen years and older. Does your child fall in this age category and have you engaged screen time and parental supervision? Then you can soon determine the age limit for installing applications.
Please note, because the age classification of a number of existing apps will change later this year. It may therefore be that parents have to give permission again for these applications. Apple uses the new age labels from iOS 26. That update appears in September, developers now have the time to adjust the age classifications manually. Are you curious when iOS 26 will appear? Read more about the expected release of the iPhone update of the year here!
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