Apple Now Allows Developers to Transfer Ownership of App Store Apps That Use iCloud

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that apps that use iCloud can now be transferred to another developer, solving a problem that developers have been dealing with for years now.

Apple previously had an app transfer program for developers who want to transfer their apps to a new account or a new owner, but prior to now, it did not work with apps that use iCloud.

Given the sheer number of apps that take advantage of Apple's iCloud functionality, this made it impossible for many developers to transfer their apps to a different App Store account using App Store Connect. Apple says that apps are now able to be transferred regardless of whether iCloud is in use.

There are some minor details that developers will need to be aware of when embarking on an app transfer for an app that uses iCloud, with details available on Apple's website.

When an app is transferred, reviews, ratings, and other information remain accessible, and the app is not removed from the App Store during the transfer.

Article Link: Apple Now Allows Developers to Transfer Ownership of App Store Apps That Use iCloud

 

[adamw]

This is great news for Apple developers!

 

[rpmurray]

Now if they'd just set it up to allow users to merge various Apple IDs.

 

[Cognizant.]

Now if they'd just set it up to allow users to merge various Apple IDs.

This would be a dream.

 

[Powerbooky]

Next: merging two (or more) iCloud/.Mac/AppleID into one.

 

[nwcs]

Now if they'd just set it up to allow users to merge various Apple IDs.

I’d settle for being able to change my Apple ID from Gmail to iCloud. Last I looked it wasn’t possible if you already have an iCloud email address.

 

[imnotthewalrus]

Now if they'd just set it up to allow users to merge various Apple IDs.

God, I would love that! My "iTunes" Apple ID is different from my iCloud Apple ID, and it is a real pain sometimes...

 

[AppleTO]

I’d settle for being able to change my Apple ID from Gmail to iCloud. Last I looked it wasn’t possible if you already have an iCloud email address.

I think this is more the fact that you can't setup and Apple ID without an existing external email account, despite the fact that iCloud itself is an email account.

Maybe it's a liability thing? I don't know. Obviously you can setup Google and Microsoft email accounts without anything prior.

 

[Sir_Macs_A_Lot]

Great! Now they can turn their attention to singling out dead beat developers that abandon their apps for more than a 1.5 year with no updates.

 

[_Spinn_]

Now if they'd just set it up to allow users to merge various Apple IDs.

That would be great! I also have that problem with my Microsoft accounts. Do any of the big tech giants allow you to do this? Something tells me this is hard to do and they don’t want to reduce the count of user accounts on their platform.

 

[Applepromax]

Lets go

 

[antiprotest]

With Apple things we hear "have been deal with for years" too often.

 

[Cognizant.]

I think this is more the fact that you can't setup and Apple ID without an existing external email account, despite the fact that iCloud itself is an email account.

Maybe it's a liability thing? I don't know. Obviously you can setup Google and Microsoft email accounts without anything prior.

This isn't true. You can create an iCloud email without having an existing email.

 

[AppleTO]

This isn't true. You can create an iCloud email without having an existing email.

I could very well be wrong, but according to this, you need to provide an email to create an Apple ID, which then gives you access to iCloud to create an iCloud email.

 

[Cognizant.]

I could very well be wrong, but according to this, you need to provide an email to create an Apple ID, which then gives you access to iCloud to create an iCloud email.

No, that's only if you want to use your existing email address as your Apple ID. If you choose the option to "Create A Free Apple ID", you don't need an existing email address.

 

[PsykX]

I had a nightmare doing that once. Good thing.
Now let's be able to merge Apple IDs plz.

 

[ignatius345]

Now if they'd just set it up to allow users to merge various Apple IDs.

Family Sharing gets you fairly close in some respects.

What I was really hoping when I read this headline was that purchased apps could be transferred from one person to another. THAT would be pretty amazing. As it is, "ownership" of digital goods like apps and media comes with a gigantic asterisk since you can't transfer things in any way at all.

 

[Shirasaki]

No, that's only if you want to use your existing email address as your Apple ID. If you choose the option to "Create A Free Apple ID", you don't need an existing email address.

You do Need an existing email. I just enter “create a new Apple ID“ page and email address must be provided to continue. No way around it.

 

[JosephAW]

Great, now former developers can sell their code to active developers so the apps can come back to life.

 

[Cognizant.]

You do Need an existing email. I just enter “create a new Apple ID“ page and email address must be provided to continue. No way around it.

Again ... no. When you go to create a new Apple ID you can select "Use your current email address" or "Get a free iCloud email address." If you select the option to get a free iCloud email address, you can create an @iCloud.com email without needing an existing email address. If you select the option to use your current email address, you will be using your current email address as your Apple ID and you will need to verify that email because it's your current email address.

 

[Seoras]

Finally!!! This has been such a pain...
I emigrated from the UK to NZ 8 years ago and after I'd settled asked Apple if I could move my apps.
Sure, they said. So I setup a NZ company and started transfering.
"Oh hang on", says Apple, "you can't move those apps, they are iCloud enabled".
What!?!?
So for a few years now I've had 2 companies. Two lots of tax returns and a bit of a headache running a biz in a country on the other side of the planet.
Apple did say "you can still move them if you let us delete the apps first. Users will lose all in app purchases and your rating will be set back to zero and you'll need to start your ASO all over again".
Eh, no thanks...

 

[@Brett]

Now on the consumer side I have 2 Apple ID’s and would really love to migrate everything to just one. Make this happen please.

 

[davidg4781]

I’d settle for being able to change my Apple ID from Gmail to iCloud. Last I looked it wasn’t possible if you already have an iCloud email address.

I thought I did this years ago! I started with a gmail ID. Then MobileMe became free so I got that. Then iCloud. Then I was able to fix them.

I can't remember the steps but it was at least 5+ years ago.

 

[Shirasaki]

Again ... no. When you go to create a new Apple ID you can select "Use your current email address" or "Get a free iCloud email address." If you select the option to get a free iCloud email address, you can create an @iCloud.com email without needing an existing email address. If you select the option to use your current email address, you will be using your current email address as your Apple ID and you will need to verify that email because it's your current email address.

im not sure then. Either website misses something or that’s not quite the page you are talking about.

 

[Cognizant.]

View attachment 2019867
im not sure then. Either website misses something or that’s not quite the page you are talking about.

You can't create an iCloud email on the website, you have to create it on an Apple device in the iCloud settings. The website will not give you the option to create an iCloud email.