New iTunes Metadata Suggests Users May Soon Be Able to Hide Stock iOS Apps

[MacRumors]

Apple may be laying the groundwork to allow users to remove or hide stock iOS apps, such as Compass and Tips, from their iPhones in an upcoming version of its mobile software, based on recently added metadata keys showing up on App Store apps.

As discovered by AppAdvice, Apple several weeks ago added a new pair of keys called "isFirstParty" and "isFirstPartyHideableApp" to the metadata of every App Store listing in iTunes. The new keys allow for a Boolean value of "true" or "false" to denote whether the app would be allowed to be hidden or removed from the user's iPhone. It's unclear whether the metadata is referring to an Apple-approved way to simply hide the first-party apps, or remove them altogether.

Last September, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke about the long-standing desire by users to remove apps like Stocks and Voice Memos from their iPhones to reduce clutter of unused apps. He admitted the company was at a bit of an impasse over the situation, because while some of its first-party experiences could be removed without much of a headache, certain apps "are linked to something else on the iPhone." Their removal could begin a domino effect of bugs and issues elsewhere in iOS, so implementing a feature allowing their removal would be understandably risky.

Image via AppAdvice​

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The hints found in the metadata of iTunes could be the potential solution, with Apple specifically targeting first-party apps that are safe to hide or remove, and letting users decide on their end if they choose to do so. With no official word from Apple on the topic since last year, it's hard to say when -- or if -- we will see such a feature implemented into iOS, although iOS 10 coming later this year is an obvious opportunity.

Users looking to minimize clutter from less popular stock apps such as Tips and Compass, and even newer editions like Health and News in some cases, frequently sequester their least favorite apps into a forgotten folder somewhere on their home screens, but some have even gotten crafty in figuring out ways to go one step further in removing unsightly crammed folders from their home screens, without needing to resort to jailbreaking their devices.

Article Link: New iTunes Metadata Suggests Users May Soon Be Able to Hide Stock iOS Apps

 

[scottish]

This would be great!

 

[BJMRamage]

that would be nice. i can easily remove a few stock Apple Apps.

 

[DJLAXL]

Hallelujah!!!

 

[Mac Rules]

Isn't this one of the signs of the apocalypse?

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Magical!

Took them bloody long enough to get this implemented.

 

[levitynyc]

This means the end of the "Crapple" folder.

 

[hybrid_x]

I don't see what the big deal is with being able to hide the default apps. Just collect the ones you don't want to see into a folder, and bury it on the last home screen. Done. Hidden.

 

[gsmornot]

This says hide, not remove. Is that right? If so, I'm already doing this.

 

[840quadra]

A Decade (nearly) in waiting.
This has been a request since the very first iPhone. Nice that they are considering the change.

 

[FieldingMellish]

The best. Hiding those stock apps.

 

[rdlink]

Magical!

Took them bloody long enough to get this implemented.

First of all, it's not implemented yet. Second, as Tim Cook stated awhile back, when you have a system that's as tightly integrated as iOS you have to be very careful about how you implement something like this 9 years into its release.

Will you also complain when they do implement it and there are some unintended consequences?

 

[LordQ]

We can hide them in folders, I would prefer to uninstall some of them: Stocks, Podcasts and Tips for example.

 

[jayducharme]

I don't see what the big deal is with being able to hide the default apps. Just collect the ones you don't want to see into a folder, and bury it on the last home screen. Done. Hidden.

Better yet is to be able to remove those apps entirely. This is really important for people with 16 gb devices, where every app takes up precious space.

 

[jasonklee]

Finally. Can't wait to remove useless apps like Game Center, Tips, Compass, Messages, Safari, News, Health, Calendar, Photos, Camera, FaceTime, Contacts, Settings, App Store, iTunes Store, Music, Mail, Stocks, Reminders, Notes, Videos, Maps, Wallet, Watch, Activity, iBooks, Podcasts, Find My Friends, Find My iPhone, Calculator, Voice Memos, and Phone.

 

[got556]

I don't require an app drawer like Android, but at least let us be able to put apps wherever we want on the home screen and maybe remove some of those "stock apps" since Apple is so insistent on sticking with a 16GB base model...(not that I would ever buy a 16GB base model lol)

 

[dcj2045]

Apple may be laying the groundwork to allow users to remove or hide stock iOS apps, such as Compass and Tips, from their iPhones in an upcoming version of its mobile software, based on recently added metadata keys showing up on App Store apps.

As discovered by AppAdvice, Apple several weeks ago added a new pair of keys called "isFirstParty" and "isFirstPartyHideableApp" to the metadata of every App Store listing in iTunes. The new keys allow for a Boolean value of "true" or "false" to denote whether the app would be allowed to be hidden or removed from the user's iPhone. It's unclear whether the metadata is referring to an Apple-approved way to simply hide the first-party apps, or remove them altogether.

Last September, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke about the long-standing desire by users to remove apps like Stocks and Voice Memos from their iPhones to reduce clutter of unused apps. He admitted the company was at a bit of an impasse over the situation, because while some of its first-party experiences could be removed without much of a headache, certain apps "are linked to something else on the iPhone." Their removal could begin a domino effect of bugs and issues elsewhere in iOS, so implementing a feature allowing their removal would be understandably risky.

Image via AppAdvice​

The hints found in the metadata of iTunes could be the potential solution, with Apple specifically targeting first-party apps that are safe to hide or remove, and letting users decide on their end if they choose to do so. With no official word from Apple on the topic since last year, it's hard to say when -- or if -- we will see such a feature implemented into iOS, although iOS 10 coming later this year is an obvious opportunity.

Users looking to minimize clutter from less popular stock apps such as Tips and Compass, and even newer editions like Health and News in some cases, frequently sequester their least favorite apps into a forgotten folder somewhere on their home screens, but some have even gotten crafty in figuring out ways to go one step further in removing unsightly crammed folders from their home screens, without needing to resort to jailbreaking their devices.

Article Link: New iTunes Metadata Suggests Users May Soon Be Able to Hide Stock iOS Apps

[doublepost=1459958421][/doublepost]Since Apple is so powerful. Where is the option for the apple watch that tells you when you're far away from the iPhone????or vice versa.

 

[ike1707]

This means the end of the "Crapple" folder.

ha! I love it, I'm renaming mine!

 

[Rafterman]

Actually, iOS doesn't have very many stock apps, compared to Android for example. So to me, its not that big of a deal.

 

[b0nd18t]

Currently hide them all in a folder but even better would be to have toggles to show/hide them in the settings.

 

[Xavier]

I like the Crapple folder. Who know, there may be that one time in a million that I need to use the stocks app, or that time I accidentally open the Watch app even though I don't have a watch.

 

[I am Andy]

Finally. Can't wait to remove useless apps like Game Center, Tips, Compass, Messages, Safari, News, Health, Calendar, Photos, Camera, FaceTime, Contacts, Settings, App Store, iTunes Store, Music, Mail, Stocks, Reminders, Notes, Videos, Maps, Wallet, Watch, Activity, iBooks, Podcasts, Find My Friends, Find My iPhone, Calculator, Voice Memos, and Phone.

And I'm using them all!

 

[npmacuser5]

I have no problem with these apps. Easy to hide in a folder called "not used" all done. By chance if I change my mind, easy to find. Everyone has different ideas and nice to see Apple making every effort to satisfy their customers.

 

[Elbon]

I don't see what the big deal is with being able to hide the default apps. Just collect the ones you don't want to see into a folder, and bury it on the last home screen. Done. Hidden.

Because it's annoying to have to create a folder for stuff I don't use instead of just deleting it.

 

[!!!]

The problem I see, is that an uneducated user will unintentionally "hide" a stock app. Then, when they want it, they don't know how to get it back. This can:
- make them blame apple
- go to their cell carrier store and buy a new phone (and they loose everything because no one tells them about iCloud backup)
- go to the Apple Store and get it fixed (unlikely)