When Apple presented Catalyst, its builders’ toolkit for porting iOS and iPadOS apps to macOS, builders and customers alike had been fast to show that they would like to look common iOS/macOS app purchases within the App Retailer. Now, Apple has instructed builders it plans so as to add that characteristic in March, in conjunction with a couple of adjustments to the App Retailer to accompany it.
The corporate will give third-party app builders the aptitude to distribute macOS, iOS, and tvOS apps as a common acquire from a unmarried package deal ID beginning someday in March of this 12 months. Unified purchases too can follow to in-app purchases (IAP).
“You’ll be able to make a choice to create a brand new app for those platforms the usage of a unmarried app file in App Retailer Attach or upload platforms in your current app file,” Apple wrote in a word to builders. All of this calls for the Xcode 11.four beta these days, on the other hand.
Whilst Catalyst apps are the obvious beneficiaries of this transformation, builders do not have to have used Catalyst to provide common purchases for his or her apps. New Catalyst-developed apps will strengthen common purchases routinely.
At this time, the iOS/iPadOS and macOS App Shops have very other categorization, however Apple will align them when this selection arrives. Apple defined the next adjustments to the App Retailer in its word to builders:
- You are able to make a selection the next classes for iOS apps: “Developer Gear” and “Graphics & Design”
- You are able to make a selection the next classes for macOS apps: “Books,” “Meals & Drink,” “Magazines & Newspapers,” “Navigation,” and “Buying groceries”
- The “Images” and “Video” classes at the Mac App Retailer will probably be blended into “Photograph & Video.” Mac apps and pending updates with the “Images” or “Video” class decided on in App Retailer Attach will probably be moved routinely to the blended class
- “Youngsters” will not be a subcategory inside of “Video games” at the Mac App Retailer
Moreover, Cupertino instructed builders these days that watchOS apps will quickly strengthen IAP. Starting paintings in this additionally calls for the Xcode 11.four beta. This is the developer word Apple posted in this topic:
With the general public liberate of watchOS 6.2, you are able to be offering in‑app purchases without delay for your watchOS apps, so customers can get right of entry to top class content material, virtual items, subscriptions, and extra, all proper from their wrist. Get began these days via downloading Xcode 11.four beta, imposing the StoreKit API, and construct for the beta model of watchOS 6.2.
The addition of IAP for watchOS follows the creation of an on-Watch App Retailer overdue remaining 12 months. Up to now, a person needed to obtain and set up their Apple Watch apps from a paired iPhone. Apple simply launched a watchOS 6.2 beta, and it has now not recognized a date for a public liberate of 6.2. However this turns out it’s going to be one of the most flagship options of the replace each time it does arrive.
Along with the watchOS 6.2 beta, Apple additionally launched developer betas for iOS 13.four and macOS 10.15.four this week. macOS 10.15.four will come with Display screen Time Conversation Limits, a parental keep an eye on characteristic in the past presented in iOS and iPadOS 13.2 in December. It’s going to additionally upload the pinnacle pointer accessibility characteristic already noticed in iOS, which can permit customers with disabilities to transport a Mac’s mouse pointer with head motions tracked via a digital camera, together with the front-facing cameras constructed into the MacBook and iMac computer systems.
The iOS 13.four developer beta provides new Memoji stickers with 9 feelings constructed from no matter Memoji you could create, plus strengthen for third-party navigation apps in CarPlay, the corporate’s automotive show device. Each iOS and macOS gets iCloud folder sharing, so customers will be capable of percentage folders with whomever they want without delay from the Recordsdata app (iOS) or Finder (macOS).
