Shipping Updates During the Holidays

Releasing app updates around the holidays requires a bit more care. Stores are busy, reviewers may be slower, and rollbacks are harder when the team is offline. Here’s how we approach it.

Plan Around Store Review Times

App Store and Google Play review times often stretch during the last two weeks of December. Submit non-critical updates early. For must-ship fixes, use phased rollouts and feature flags so you can limit blast radius without pulling the release.

Keep Rollback Paths Clear

Ensure you can roll back or disable features without a new binary. Server-side config, feature flags, and OTA updates (e.g. Expo updates) let you turn off problematic behavior without waiting for store approval.

Communicate With Users and Stakeholders

Set expectations: “We’re shipping a small stability update; major features land in January.” A short in-app or email note reduces support load and avoids the impression that something is wrong when the release is intentional and limited.

With a clear plan and safe rollback options, you can ship confidently during the holiday window.