This Week's Sponsor:

Kolide

Ensures that if a device isn’t secure it can’t access your apps.  It’s Device Trust for Okta.

Mac App Store: Big Changes Coming Soon to iOS App Store Too?

Last night I took some time to re-watch the Back to the Mac event video Apple posted in 1080p on Youtube, to see if I could spot elements I may have missed on the low-quality iTunes and streaming versions. Indeed I noticed something in the Mac App Store demo I hadn’t seen before, or perhaps really focused on: in the right sidebar, under the “Quick Links” box, there’s a “Purchased” link which, supposedly, should bring you to your purchase history page.

In the current version of iTunes, both the iPhone and iPad App Store don’t let you easily check on the apps you previously purchased as I assume the Mac App Store will. In fact, the only way to access your account’s purchase history if by clicking on your account dropdown menu in top right, then Account, then Purchase History in the middle of the page. Admittedly, it’s a long and annoying process that returns a very un-Apple like page full of order numbers, dates and “artists” instead of “developers”. The current purchase history page doesn’t display application icons (just because you know, an icon is the application) and there’s now way to view a full summary of the apps you bought with links to the original iTunes pages.

I have the feeling the Mac App Store will fix this problem, and Apple will carry the same improved navigation schemes over to the iPhone and iPad App Store as well. The Mac App Store demo we saw is just, indeed, a brief demo, but the redesigned (and cleaner) UI is in there, together with the new Quick Links box. An improved Purchased section would immensely help users who own a lot of apps, delete some every once in a while and would like to have a better system to retrieve their order history. Another option would be that this new UI is exclusive to the Mac App Store and the Purchased page will be used for enabling Mac developers to implement upgrade, volume licensing and demo options. I find this theory unlikely, though.

I’ve long debated that Apple must fix the broken App Store user experience and navigation. The Mac App Store preview we saw suggests big changes will be made soon.

(the Mac App Store homepage)

Join

Unlock More with Club MacStories

Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for over six years.

In that time, members have enjoyed nearly 400 weekly and monthly newsletters packed with more of your favorite MacStories writing as well as Club-only podcasts, eBooks, discounts on apps, icons, and services. Join today, and you’ll get everything new that we publish every week, plus access to our entire archive of back issues and downloadable perks.

The Club expanded in 2021 with Club MacStories+ and Club Premier. Club MacStories+ members enjoy even more exclusive stories, a vibrant Discord community, a rotating roster of app discounts, and more. And, with Club Premier, you get everything we offer at every Club level plus an extended, ad-free version of our podcast AppStories that is delivered early each week in high-bitrate audio.

Choose the Club plan that’s right for you:

  • Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with app collections, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, a Club-only podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
  • Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus exclusive content like Federico’s Automation Academy and John’s Macintosh Desktop Experience, a powerful web app for searching and exploring over 6 years of content and creating custom RSS feeds of Club content, an active Discord community, and a rotating collection of discounts, and more;
  • Club Premier: Everything in from our other plans and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.

Federico is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of MacStories, where he writes about Apple with a focus on apps, developers, iPad, and iOS productivity. He founded MacStories in April 2009 and has been writing about Apple since. Federico is also the co-host of AppStories, a weekly podcast exploring the world of apps, and Unwind, a fun exploration of media and more.

He can also be found on his other podcasts on Relay FM: Connected and Remaster, two shows about Apple and videogames, respectively.

@viticci
@viticci
@viticci@macstories.net
viticci@macstories.net