Featuring Nomination Template & Guide
The Complete Nomination Form
Submit via: Apple Developer — Promote Your App
Required Fields
1. Contact Information
- First name
- Last name
- Email address (must be associated with Apple Developer account)
- Apple Developer Team ID
2. App Information
- App name
- App Store URL (or TestFlight link for pre-launch)
- App category
- Supported platforms and devices
3. Event/Occasion
- What's the occasion for this nomination?
- Specific date for launch, update, or event
- Is this associated with a cultural moment or season?
4. App Description
- 2-3 sentences describing what makes your app unique
- Focus on the user benefit, not technical features
5. Apple Technologies
- List specific Apple frameworks and APIs used
- Be detailed: "Uses HealthKit to sync workout data with Apple Health" not just "Uses HealthKit"
6. Supporting Materials
- Links to press coverage
- App preview video
- High-resolution screenshots
- Developer story or blog post
Angle Selection Framework
The "Why Now?" Question
Apple features apps for a reason. Your nomination must answer: "Why should Apple feature this app right now?"
Strong Angles (in order of editorial preference)
1. Apple Technology Showcase Best for: Apps demonstrating new iOS/macOS features at or near WWDC/launch
"Our app is one of the first to adopt [new Apple API], showing how [technology] can transform [user experience]. We've integrated [specific feature] to deliver [specific benefit]."
Timing: 2-4 weeks after new OS release or WWDC
2. Cultural Moment Best for: Apps aligned with cultural events, awareness months, or societal trends
"[App Name] celebrates [cultural moment] by [specific feature/content]. During [month/period], users can [specific action] that promotes [positive outcome]."
Timing: 4-6 weeks before the cultural moment
3. Seasonal Relevance Best for: Apps with natural seasonal fit
| Season | Angles |
|---|---|
| January | Fitness, organization, financial planning, fresh starts |
| February | Relationships, creativity, Black History Month |
| March | Women's History Month, spring cleaning, outdoors |
| April | Earth Day, tax season, gardening |
| May | Mental Health Month, Mother's Day, graduation |
| June | WWDC, Pride Month, summer planning |
| July-August | Travel, summer activities, back-to-school prep |
| September | Back to school, new OS features, fall planning |
| October | Halloween, breast cancer awareness, mindfulness |
| November | Native American Heritage, gratitude, holiday prep |
| December | Year in review, holiday, gift giving |
4. Accessibility & Inclusion Best for: Apps with strong accessibility features or serving underserved communities
"[App Name] makes [activity] accessible to [underserved group] through [specific feature]. With [accessibility feature], users who [challenge] can now [empowered action]."
Apple strongly values accessibility — this is always a relevant angle.
5. Developer Story Best for: Indie developers with a compelling personal narrative
"As a [personal context], I built [App Name] to solve [problem I personally experienced]. What started as [origin] has grown to help [X users] [achieve outcome]."
6. User Impact Best for: Apps with measurable positive outcomes
"Users of [App Name] have [specific measurable outcome] — [X metric]. [Testimonial or user story that illustrates impact]."
7. Major Update Best for: Significant new versions with substantial improvements
"Version [X] of [App Name] introduces [major feature], completely reimagining how users [core activity]. Built with [Apple technologies], this update represents [scope of change]."
Writing the Pitch
The 30-Second Rule
Apple editors review hundreds of nominations. Your pitch must communicate value in the first 30 seconds of reading.
Structure
- Hook (1 sentence): What makes this app remarkable?
- Value (1-2 sentences): What do users get?
- Why Now (1 sentence): Why feature it at this specific time?
- Apple Angle (1 sentence): How does it showcase Apple's platform?
Example Pitches
Speech Therapy App:
"Blow Quest transforms speech therapy into a game that kids actually want to play — using the iPhone microphone to detect breath patterns and guide children through therapeutic exercises. With over 5,000 families using it daily and endorsements from pediatric SLPs, it's making professional-grade therapy accessible to anyone with an iPhone. Our latest update adds Apple Watch integration for parents to track daily practice streaks. We'd love to be featured during Better Hearing & Speech Month (May)."
Meditation Watch App:
"ChantFlow brings ancient chanting meditation to the modern wrist — the only Apple Watch app that uses haptic guidance to lead users through timed mantra sessions without looking at a screen. Built entirely with SwiftUI and using the new WidgetKit complications for meditation streak tracking, it showcases what focused Apple Watch design can achieve. Perfect for a mindfulness feature around Mental Health Awareness Month."
Productivity App:
"TaskFlow reimagines task management for neurodivergent users — with time-blindness compensation, dopamine-friendly completion animations, and adaptive due dates that learn your actual completion patterns. Built with Core ML for on-device pattern recognition and supporting Apple Intelligence for smart task suggestions, it's productivity software that works with your brain, not against it. Ideal for a back-to-school feature highlighting inclusive design."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
DON'T:
- Generic descriptions: "The best productivity app" → Be specific about what's unique
- Feature lists: "Supports dark mode, widgets, and Siri" → Explain how they create value
- Unsupported claims: "The #1 app for..." → Only if you have data to back it up
- Desperation: "We really need this feature" → Focus on app quality, not business needs
- Too technical: "Uses MVVM architecture with Combine pipelines" → Editors aren't developers
- Vague timing: "We'd like to be featured sometime" → Give specific dates and reasons
DO:
- Be specific and concise
- Lead with user impact
- Show, don't tell (include screenshots, video)
- Connect to a timely moment
- Highlight Apple technology usage with specifics
- Include social proof (reviews, press, metrics)
- Make it easy for the editor to say yes
Post-Nomination Checklist
After submitting, prepare for potential featuring:
- App is crash-free and performs well on all supported devices
- Latest version is approved and ready for release
- App Store assets (screenshots, previews) are high quality and current
- Server infrastructure can handle 10-50x normal traffic
- Customer support is prepared for increased volume
- In-App Events are configured for the featuring window
- Analytics are set up to measure featuring impact
- Press kit is available at a public URL