Rumor: App Store Changes Locked Down Thanksgiving and Christmas Weeks This Year
So I recently heard through the grapevine—and it’s kind of a big deal for app developers—Apple’s doing something new this year. We already know they lock down the App Store around Christmas week every year, right? But now, there’s talk of another lockdown during Thanksgiving week too. Yup, two of the busiest times for app downloads.
So what does this actually mean?
Well, during these lockdowns, developers like us won’t be able to log into iTunes Connect. That means:
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No app updates
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No new releases
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No changing screenshots or descriptions
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And most importantly, no price changes
Traditionally, this is when a lot of devs drop prices to boost downloads and climb the charts. But this year, that’s gonna be harder.
🚫 Top Charts Freeze Too
Another wild twist? The App Store rankings freeze during the lockdown. So if your app is sitting at #1 (or even top 10) before the freeze, congrats—you’re staying there the whole week. But if you’re not up there yet, it’s going to be impossible to move up during the freeze.
Now, Apple has added a small new feature: you can schedule price changes in advance. But here’s the catch—we’re still not sure if these scheduled changes will actually work during the lockdown period. Apple hasn’t made it totally clear yet.
“Until we hear the official word from Apple, it’s best to play it safe.” — App Marketing Folks Everywhere
✅ What You Should Do (My Advice)
Here’s how I’m planning and what I’d suggest:
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Get your app live and fully set up before the lockdown begins.
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Aim for the top charts early. Being high up before the freeze is way better than launching during it.
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Schedule your price drops or promotions in advance—just in case they do work.
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Keep your marketing efforts aggressive leading up to the freeze (not just Christmas).
If Apple confirms anything new officially, I’ll update this. But for now, just assume the freeze is real and plan accordingly. Your best bet? Lock your strategy in early.
Want to dig deeper into how the App Store freezes work? Check out this detailed post on App Store shutdowns (official Apple news).
