AI, subscriptions and the fight for every install: our recap of Business of Apps NYC 2026
On September 17th, more than 500 app marketing, UA, growth, product and revenue leaders packed into Convene Midtown for Business of Apps NYC. Across six stages and 30+ sessions, the message was consistent: growth is getting more automated, more measurable and more expensive to get wrong.
BrightLake was there as a sponsor and exhibitor, and our team spent the day trading notes with app teams about where Apple Ads fits in a stack that is changing fast. Here is what stood out.
Four themes that ran through the day
1. AI is now the growth engine, not a side project
AI showed up in nearly every conversation, from creative generation to real-time bid optimization to personalized in-app journeys. Phil Carter of Elemental Growth walked through how AI is reshaping subscription app monetization. AppTweak's Julia Kan tackled a newer question: how apps measure and improve their visibility inside AI assistants and answer engines, not just app stores.
2. Multi-channel UA has to answer to retention
UA teams are being asked to prove value beyond the install. Kym Lino shared how Peloton reached a new audience with Strength+, and Mackenzie Quinn of Quinn Strategic Consulting unpacked the psychology behind every download and why value has to land from Day 0. The common thread: privacy-safe attribution and campaigns tied to retention metrics, not just CPI.
3. Retention is being redefined
Sago Mini's Colton Kaufman ran a localization workshop on unlocking up to 30% growth in global markets. Michael Berliner of Otter Growth Advisory broke down what high-converting onboarding flows and paywalls have in common. The takeaway: the first session decides far more than most teams budget for.
4. Revenue innovation is moving off-app
Paddle's Lucas Lovell made the case for an app-to-web playbook as a compounding growth engine, as pricing and payment options keep opening up. RevenueCat closed out the theme with a "state of subscription apps" game show that was as useful as it was fun.
What we heard at the BrightLake booth
The sessions set the agenda, but the best conversations happened at our booth. The biggest surprise: most publishers don't treat Apple Ads as a standalone UA channel. They see it as one part of a broader App Store strategy. Conversations that started with bids and keywords quickly turned to:
Product page optimization: making sure the page a search ad lands on actually converts
Review reply management: responding to reviews at scale to protect ratings and conversion
Audience-specific targeting: reaching the right users with the right message, not just the right keyword
We also noticed that AI discovery is drawing more attention than standard App Store discovery. As users find apps through AI assistants and answer engines, publishers want to know how to show up there too.
"Most publishers see Apple Ads as just one part of their broader App Store strategy, rather than a standalone UA channel." — Can Atasav, Brightlake
Thanks to everyone who stopped by, and to the Business of Apps team for a well-run day.
What it means for Apple Ads marketers
Each of the day's themes points to the same place: the App Store remains the highest-intent moment in the user journey, and Apple Ads is where teams can act on it.
AI-driven optimization is table stakes. If AI is running creative and lifecycle, it should be running bids and keyword discovery too. Manual keyword management can't keep pace with auction shifts.
Optimize for retained users, not installs. With UA judged on retention, Apple Ads campaigns should be measured against downstream events and LTV, not CPT alone.
Localize search, not just the app. The same markets that unlock growth through localization need localized keywords, Custom Product Pages and storefront-level budgets.
Feed the paywall. Strong onboarding and paywalls only pay off when the traffic arriving is high-intent. Search intent is the cleanest signal you can buy.
See you in London
Business of Apps NYC made one thing clear: the teams that win next year will pair AI with sharper measurement at every step of the funnel. Missed us in New York? We'll be at Business of Apps London next, so come find us there. In the meantime, book a call with the BrightLake team to see how our AI-driven Apple Ads management can grow your app.
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