App Store

Apple TV App Store now features Top Charts

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

One of the biggest complaints about the new Apple TV is the lack of discovery when it comes to the App Store. The initial version of the App Store only featured three sections: Featured, Puchased, and Search. As such, there is was way to discover great new apps outside of Apple's own recommendations.

Apple has partially remedied this issue by adding a new Top Charts section to the App Store. This section should prove to be immediately useful for early Apple TV adopters. Although I'm not currently seeing the Top Charts on my Apple TV, even after a reboot and a force quit of the App Store app, it may take some time to propagate to all devices and regions.

How to set up carrier billing as payment method for App Store, iTunes Store and iBooks Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 2, 2015

In October 2015, Apple began rolling out support for carrier billing on iTunes in select markets, starting with Germany. This feature joins the existing payment methods accepted on the App Store, iTunes Store and iBooks Store and permits customers to have apps and media bought through these content stores charged to their monthly mobile phone bill or deducted from their prepaid amount.

If your carrier supports it, you too can opt-in to pay for your iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store purchases—and your Apple Music membership—through mobile phone billing.

In this tutorial, we're going to cover setting up mobile phone billing as your payment method in the iTunes Store, App Store or iBooks Store.

tvOS App Store is conveniently flagging gamepad-enabled apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 2, 2015

Unlike the regular App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad application, a brand new tvOS App Store for Apple's latest fourth-generation Apple TV makes it easy to distinguish at-a-glance between games that offer support for 'Made for iOS' (MFi) gamepads and game controllers and those that don't.

As first observed by AppleInsider over the weekend, not only does the device's App Store storefront app clearly states whether or not a game supports dedicated MFi game controllers, but compatible controllers can be used to navigate across the entirety of tvOS.

Apple begins shipping new Apple TVs, releases final 9.0 build, and launches App Store

Jeff Benjamin ∙ October 29, 2015

Big things are happening with the new Apple TV. Not only have numerous readers received their now shipping notifications, alluding to a Friday arrival, Apple has also made several significant necessary infrastructure changes for tomorrow's big launch.

First and foremost, the App Store is now live for the Apple TV. Twitter is flowing with screenshots and images of the new Apple TV App Store. Although its discovery elements are still questionable, Apple is probably still in the midst of rolling out the categories section and top charts section. Remember, the actual launch isn't until tomorrow, so anything can change between now and then.

Secondly, Apple has released the final build of its tvOS software that powers the new Apple TV. In fact, you can download tvOS 9.0 right now.

New Apple TV lacking Siri search for Apple Music and App Store apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 29, 2015

As the new Apple TV is scheduled to hit Apple's retail stores tomorrow, first reviews are now in. Journalists who were given a chance to spend some quality time with review units are praising evolutionary improvements to the living room experience while highlighting untapped potential for the refreshed $149 device.

One of the common complaints focuses on Siri and its inability to search apps for the Apple TV in a dedicated App Store. In addition, reports are noting that users won't be able to search Apple Music with their voice at launch, the omission Apple claims will be addressed with a software update due at the beginning of next year.

Temporarily unavailable: the App Store is down for some users [u]

Sébastien Page ∙ October 28, 2015

Update: Looks like everything is back to normal.

If you're trying to download or update an app from the App Store right now, you might be greeted with the unpleasant message that "this feature is temporarily unavailable," inviting you to try again later. If you are experiencing this issue, know that you aren't the only one as many have been reporting the exact same problem for over an hour now.

App Store starts experimenting with landscape screenshots and videos

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 4, 2017

Apple has seemingly begun experimenting with landscape screenshots and video in the App Store. A handful of App Store apps now offer landscape screenshots, video posters in landscape or both.

Twitter users and SplitMetrics have also noticed the change recently, which impacts the iPhone and is also showing on iTunes. Before the change, landscape App Store screenshots would show in portrait mode, requiring users to turn their head.

iOS 9 now powering 61 percent of devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 21, 2015

Apple's latest iOS 9 mobile operating system is now powering a total of 61 percent of active iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in the wild, according to Apple's official numbers published on its portal for developers.

By comparison iOS 9 was found on 57 percent of devices just two short weeks ago. The latest data point was calculated by monitoring App Store access on October 19, 2015.

Some App Store apps found to gather personal information, Apple acts swiftly

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 10, 2017

As many as 256 iPhone, iPod touch and iPad applications in the App Store, a majority of them from Chinese developers, have been found to violate Apple's privacy policy by gathering personal information such as email addresses, installed apps and even serial numbers, an analysis by security analytics startup SourceDNA has found out.

In addition, the offending apps, which obviously went under the radar of Apple's App Store editorial team, have been found to collect other personally identifying information that can be used to track users.

No, it’s not just you; the iTunes Store is experiencing issues [Updated]

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

If you're having problems downloading apps or installing updates from the App Store, you're not alone. I am not able to download apps or install updates, and another colleague has verified the same. Also, if you check Apple's system status page, you'll see where the iTunes Store is experiencing issues.

This issue appears to be affecting iTunes Store, App Store, and Mac App Store purchases and updates. Best advice? Just be patient until Apple gets things resolved.

Some of the previously pulled apps and games now returning to App Store’s Purchased history

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 9, 2015

Many of the iPhone and iPad applications that have vanished from users' Purchased histories are now returning to the App Store, TouchArcade reports, suggesting the whole brouhaha was but a glitch in the App Store.

Not all of the pulled games have returned, however, though some classics like Ngmoco's games and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 can now be re-downloaded through the App Store's Purchased tab again.

Apple: yes, we now remove App Store apps pulled from sale from your Purchased history, too

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 7, 2015

Users around the world are noticing that they're no longer able to re-download older iPhone and iPad apps and games that their developers have removed from sale on the App Store.

The abnormal behavior flies in the face of Apple's policy of allowing people who bought apps from the App Store to re-download them to other devices through the App Store's Purchased tab.

As a result, questions arose as to whether this pointed toward a big problem in the App Store. Sadly, as PocketGamer points out, this is definitely a new Apple policy meaning you now have to back up your purchased mobile apps in iTunes to keep them forever.