I've recently launched a new app (I have launched 5 previously) and was astonished and shocked to find that there is no longer a 'New' section within individual categories anymore. My app is normally featured in all 155 stores as a new app and for some reason it is featured on itunes 1 time. What is going on? This is a hideous change?
Whats the app name? That shouldn't be the case. Maybe you accidentally released it early and then took it off market.
Quite some time ago Apple did away with the "new releases" view within categories, replacing it with "Top Grossing." Most of the apps there, as you might expect, are freemium titles loaded with IAP. The only new apps that are easily discoverable on devices are the handful of "New & Noteworthy" apps handpicked by Apple's editorial board - but even that feature (if one is fortunate enough to land it) only lasts a week - it's a stepping stone to charting.
I just released one yesterday - part of an optimal release day personal experiment I'm working on. It was listed in several new categories. So I'm not sure what you did wrong. Did you let it release immediately after approval?
Check out this video http://vimeo.com/75069042 It makes a lot of sense to manually release your game, so it rolls through all the app stores at the beginning of the day in each location.
My goodness - all of our previous apps were featured in every store with other apps that we've released. This is unbelievable. How did Facebook release their app Slingshot a couple of months ago and then remove it from being visible on the store, to then release it a week later to maximum visibility?
Pretty sure that new app only show up in the featured section of games sub categories. All the other categories have their own featured pages now, so don't show the new content. Not that being listed here has really ever helped me get downloads, maybe 2 years ago it did. But now it changes so fast that I don't think anyone see it. Much better to try and target key search terms, and promote to your own social network of followers.