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Apple will let you pre-order apps up to six months in advance

The old policy only allows developers to list their apps up to 90 days before release.

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Apple has updated its App Store policy for pre-orders, allowing developers to offer their apps up to half a year before they’re officially released. In a post on its Developer portal, the tech giant has announced that developers can “let customers pre-order [their] app up to 180 days before it’s released for download.” Apple has added that developers can take advantage of the longer time allowance to “build more excitement” for what their apps can offer and to encourage more pre-orders.

The tech giant officially launched app pre-orders back in 2017 for iOS, macOS and tvOS devices. It was definitely a welcome change for those who want to make sure they’re getting particular apps as soon as they come out. Apple’s old pre-order policy only allowed developers to put their products up for two to 90 days before they become available for download. By expanding the pre-order period, developers will have the chance to drum up interest in their offerings way before they’re ready for release.

Developers can take advantage of the longer pre-order period whether their app is free or paid. Customers won’t be charged for paid purchases until they’re ready for download, and they can always cancel if they change their minds. When the apps roll out, customers will get a notification that their purchase will automatically be installed on their devices within 24 hours.