Apple Announces Universal Purchase for Mac Apps

Apple has officially announced Universal Buy for Mac apps that allows users to brand a single purchase to use the same app on different Mac platforms instead of purchasing it again. The characteristic was beginning spotted in the Xcode 11.4 beta update terminal month.

"The macOS version of your app tin can at present be included in a universal purchase, assuasive customers to enjoy your app and in‑app purchases across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS by purchasing only once. Get started past using a single package ID for your apps in Xcode and setting upward your app record for universal purchase in App Store Connect.", reads Apple's announcement.

To get started, Apple urges developers to utilise a unmarried package ID and associate it with the same app record in App Store Connect. The company clarifies that apps tin can have different version numbers and build strings with respect to the platform.

The bundle ID or App ID cannot be changed/deleted from the developer business relationship once a programmer uploads a build to App Store Connect. The apps will be fabricated bachelor every bit a universal purchase after Apple tree's app review squad approves at least two platform versions.

It is worth noting that developers cannot disable universal purchase or remove a single platform version from the app tape once they're in. However, they can make in-app purchases available in multiple platform versions. "Beginning create a single in-app purchase under the Features tab in App Store Connect, then utilise StoreKit to implement the in-app purchase in the various platform versions of your app.", explains Apple.

In case the apps are already available on multiple platforms, Apple tree mentions that app records can't be merged. Hence, the developers are left with no choice other than retaining one version, removing other versions and adding those versions to the existing app's record. This substantially results in the loss of ratings and reviews of the app from the removed platform.