Launching to the App Store

Launch Day

🔄 Quick Recall: In the previous lesson, you chose a monetization strategy — subscription, in-app purchases, ads, or a hybrid model. Your app is built, tested, polished, and has a business model. Now it’s time to put it in the hands of real users.

Submitting an app to the stores is part technical process, part marketing exercise, and — as of 2026 — part compliance exercise. AI-built apps have specific requirements that didn’t exist two years ago.

App Store Submission Requirements

Apple App Store

Developer account: $99/year (Apple Developer Program)

Technical requirements:

• Built with iOS/iPadOS 26 SDK (as of April 2026)
• App must be fully functional (no placeholder screens)
• Must include a privacy policy
• If login is required, provide demo account credentials for review

AI-specific requirements:

• Disclose use of external AI services (OpenAI, Claude, etc.)
• Label AI-generated content within the app
• Explain what user data is sent to AI services
• Get user consent before sending data to external AI APIs
• Include AI use in the app description

Review timeline: 1-3 days for most apps. May take longer if reviewers have questions.

Google Play Store

Developer account: $25 one-time fee

Technical requirements:

• Target Android 10+ (API level 29 or higher)
• New personal developer accounts: 14-day closed testing with 12+ testers before production release
• Must include a privacy policy
• Data safety section must be complete and accurate

AI-specific requirements:

• Disclose AI features in the app listing
• Data safety section must reflect AI data processing
• EU AI Act compliance for apps available in Europe (provisions effective August 2026)

Review timeline: Hours to 3 days. Generally faster than Apple.

✅ Quick Check: Why does Google require 14 days of closed testing before a new developer can publish to production? To ensure the app has been tested by real users, reducing the number of broken or low-quality apps that reach the public store. This means you need to plan for a 2-week testing period with at least 12 testers before your first public release.

Creating a Compelling Store Listing

The Elements That Matter

Your store listing has about 3 seconds to convince someone to download. These elements do the heavy lifting:

1. App Icon

• Simple, recognizable, single focal point
• Looks good at 29x29px (smallest) and 1024x1024px (largest)
• Use AI image generators (Midjourney, DALL-E) if you’re not a designer
• Avoid: text in the icon, too many colors, generic clipart

2. Title + Subtitle

• Title: Brand name + primary keyword (max 30 characters)
• Subtitle: Core benefit in natural language (max 30 characters)
• Example: “FreshPlate: AI Meal Planner” / “Recipes from your fridge”

3. Screenshots (Most Important)

• First 2 screenshots visible without scrolling — make them count
• Show the app in action, not just screens
• Add captions that explain benefits, not features
• Good: “Dinner ideas in 30 seconds” (benefit)
• Bad: “AI-powered recipe search feature” (feature)

4. Description

• First 3 lines show above the fold — front-load the value
• Include keywords naturally (not stuffed)
• Structure: problem → solution → features → social proof
• Mention AI features (helps with search + required for compliance)

Store Listing Template

[First 3 lines — above the fold]
Stuck wondering what to cook? FreshPlate suggests recipes
using ingredients already in your fridge. AI-powered meal
planning that saves time and reduces food waste.

[Features section]
What FreshPlate Does:
• Suggest meals from your available ingredients
• Generate weekly meal plans with one tap
• Create automatic grocery lists
• Track nutrition for dietary goals
• Learn your preferences over time

[Social proof / differentiator]
Why people love FreshPlate:
"Finally, an app that works with what I already have!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[AI disclosure]
FreshPlate uses AI to generate recipe suggestions and meal plans.
Your ingredient lists are processed by our AI service to provide
personalized recommendations. No personal health data is shared.

AI Compliance Checklist

Before submitting, verify these AI-specific items:

• In-app disclosure: AI features labeled where users interact with them
• First-use explanation: New users see a brief explanation of how AI works in the app
• Privacy policy: Updated to include AI data processing details
• Data consent: Users consent before data is sent to external AI services
• Store listing: AI use mentioned in the app description
• Data safety (Google): AI data processing reflected in the data safety section
• Content moderation: AI outputs are filtered for harmful content
• EU compliance: If available in EU, review AI Act requirements for your risk category

Post-Launch: The First 30 Days

Week 1: Monitor and Fix

Watch these metrics:

• Day-1 retention: What percentage of users come back tomorrow? (Target: 25%+)
• Crash rate: Any crashes reported in App Store Connect or Play Console? (Target: <1%)
• Reviews: Respond to every review within 24 hours — especially negative ones
• Feature usage: Which features do people actually use? (Might surprise you)

Fix anything blocking the core experience immediately. Don’t add new features in week 1 — stabilize what’s there.

Week 2-3: Iterate Based on Data

Improve onboarding if Day-1 retention is below 25%:

• Get users to the core value faster (reduce steps before the “aha moment”)
• Remove sign-up requirements until users have experienced value
• Add a quick tutorial or walkthrough for the main feature

Optimize your listing if downloads are low:

• Test different screenshots (A/B testing available on Google Play)
• Revise the first 3 lines of your description
• Update the subtitle with different keywords

Week 4: Plan Growth

With a month of data, you can now make informed decisions:

• Which features drive retention? → Double down on them
• Where do users drop off? → Fix or remove those flows
• What do users request most? → Plan your first update
• Is the monetization model working? → Adjust pricing or tiers

Your Course Review

Key Takeaways

• Both Apple and Google now require explicit AI disclosure — label AI features in the app, privacy policy, and store listing
• Google Play requires 14 days of closed testing with 12+ testers before first public release
• Your store listing’s first 2 screenshots and first 3 description lines do most of the conversion work — front-load value
• Day-1 retention is the most critical post-launch metric — if users don’t return tomorrow, nothing else matters
• Plan for a stabilization week (fix bugs, respond to reviews) before adding any new features