'Previous Versions' Coming to Mac App Store for Users of Older Macs

[MacRumors]

Last month, Apple began offering a "last compatible" version feature in its iOS App Store, giving developers the option of offering users running pre-iOS 7 operating systems on their iOS devices the ability to download older versions of their apps compatible with those devices and operating systems.

With today's launch of OS X Mavericks, Apple has notified Mac developers that a similar feature is coming to the Mac App Store, allowing users to continue using older versions of apps on their Macs that may not be compatible with Mavericks.

Users who have already purchased your Mac app are now able to download previous versions, allowing them to use your app with Macs that may no longer be supported by OS X Mavericks.

If you do not want previous versions of your app to be available for download as a previous purchase, for example due to a usability or legal issue, you can manage their availability in the Rights and Pricing section of the Manage Your Apps module on iTunes Connect. To exclude a specific version, click "Manage iCloud download settings for this app." For more information on managing previous versions, see the iTunes Connect Developer Guide or contact us.

For those users who are able to update their machines to Mavericks, the new operating system is a free download available now on the Mac App Store.

Article Link: 'Previous Versions' Coming to Mac App Store for Users of Older Macs

 

[troop231]

And yet I still do not see the option in iTunes Connect rights and pricing to prohibit this.

 

[Tankmaze]

it's an elegant solution I think, good stuff Apple!

 

[Goftrey]

Awesome news for us Snow Leopard lovers.

 

[clukas]

awesome! Good business practice apple!

 

[MacVault]

Previous iOS Version?

I want previous version for iOS! I highly dislike iOS 7!

 

[clukas]

I want previous version for iOS! I highly dislike iOS 7!

Im sure someone has already published a way to downgrade iOS somewhere.

 

[arkmannj]

This is great news.
Also, it would be great if we could access other versions within an OS.
Sometimes I "update" an App only to find it has a worse bug, or I don't like the new version as well and would like to "downgrade" for a little while.
For storage space reasons I don't have Time Machine backup my Applications folder.

 

[talmy]

Sometimes I "update" an App only to find it has a worse bug, or I don't like the new version as well and would like to "downgrade" for a little while.
For storage space reasons I don't have Time Machine backup my Applications folder.

Before you upgrade, drag/copy the the app to the Desktop. Upgrade and if you don't like it then just drag the original back to Applications. Of course you must now hope that your drive doesn't fail because you don't have a backup and can't get that version from the App Store.

 

[5t3f4n]

Awesome news for us Snow Leopard lovers.

You Snow Leopard lovers just got a free upgrade to Mavericks!
Go directly to Mavericks, do not pass Lion, do not collect Mountain Lion.

 

[C DM]

Im sure someone has already published a way to downgrade iOS somewhere.

Considering that it's mostly not even possible for majority of the recent latest iOS devices, nothing like that is really published unfortunately.

That said, an OS downgrade is a different type of thing than an app downgrade. But, an option should be available nonetheless.

 

[LimeiBook86]

This is good to know!

Apple has been pretty good with old downloads of software and applications (they even still have some Apple II items online). It would have been a shame to limit App Store access to only OS X 10.9 users.

 

[clukas]

Considering that it's mostly not even possible for majority of the recent latest iOS devices, nothing like that is really published unfortunately.

That said, an OS downgrade is a different type of thing than an app downgrade. But, an option should be available nonetheless.

I agree with you on principle. iOS 7 is a significant change for most people, and Im sure many people have upgraded without actually realising how significant update it was. Apple really should allow a downgrade, however thats not the way apple does things. On top, well have to live with iOS 7 now, its not going anywhere, and everyone will have to adapt it at some point.

 

[arkmannj]

Before you upgrade, drag/copy the the app to the Desktop. Upgrade and if you don't like it then just drag the original back to Applications. Of course you must now hope that your drive doesn't fail because you don't have a backup and can't get that version from the App Store.

Thanks, I do that when I remember, sometimes I just get too excited and hit that update button thought so of course I'm wanting a feature to cover for my laziness.

 

[djtech42]

Awesome news for us Snow Leopard lovers.

It's time to move on.

 

[01Rubytone]

I want to downgrade to the map app that shipped with IOS 5

 

[C DM]

It's time to move on.

Or, you know, people can choose what they want to use given that it's purely a personal choice that doesn't affect anyone else and shouldn't matter to them.

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I want to downgrade to the map app that shipped with IOS 5

How is this related to the Mac App Store that is being discussed? The map app in iOS is part of the OS itself, so you can really only get it if you can find a way to downgrade to iOS 5. Short of that, there's the Google Maps app, among some various other maps apps.

 

[djtech42]

Or, you know, people can choose what they want to use given that it's purely a personal choice that doesn't affect anyone else and shouldn't matter to them.

If they want security risks and not have the ability to run later versions of applications, then I guess that's up to them.

 

[C DM]

If they want security risks and not have the ability to run later versions of applications, then I guess that's up to them.

Security updates are still provided to older versions for some time. But, in general, yeah, it's certainly up to them, as it is with many other pieces of technology that might get dated over time (even quickly).

 

[I WAS the one]

The only app didn't make it on my 2008 iMac.... iMovie! Darn it!

 

[Goftrey]

It's time to move on.

As CDM said as soon as Snow Leopard stops receiving security updates (like Leopard did in May 2012) I'll have to look at an upgrade. But considering a considerable chunk of OS X users a STILL on Snow Leopard Apple just can't afford to drop 100,000's in the deep end at this moment in time.

I think the whole logic behind Mavericks being free is that they're trying to draw people away from Snow Leopard, as it's rapidly becoming the Windows XP of the Mac world.

Some people don't want useless features like 'Launchpad' or 'Game Center'. I like the barebones, straight to the point style of Snow Leopard. Quick, efficient, supported. What more could you want?

----------

You Snow Leopard lovers just got a free upgrade to Mavericks!
Go directly to Mavericks, do not pass Lion, do not collect Mountain Lion.

Meh, 3D maps & colour-coded tags don't rock my boat

 

[Jessica Lares]

Snow Leopard? Pshh, I'm still rocking Leopard on two machines here.

Heck, I know someone still using Tiger on an Intel Mac. TIGER, on an INTEL capable of running probably Lion!

I'm happy for the previous versions thing though. I think that is something that people have been asking for the last two decades, and the official App Stores are good outlets. It keeps people from simply jailbreaking and Googling older illegal copies to solve those issues.

 

[gregdougherty]

And yet I still do not see the option in iTunes Connect rights and pricing to prohibit this.

I don't see this either? Is this only for Mac apps which include iCloud syncing? I visit the rights and pricing page and there is definitely no "Manage iCloud download settings for this app" link.

Anyone have any insight here?

 

[troop231]

I don't see this either? Is this only for Mac apps which include iCloud syncing? I visit the rights and pricing page and there is definitely no "Manage iCloud download settings for this app" link.

Anyone have any insight here?

I was looking more specifically at prohibiting this for iOS, but it should be under the same area, which it's not.

 

[Intell]

As CDM said as soon as Snow Leopard stops receiving security updates (like Leopard did in May 2012) I'll have to look at an upgrade.

Leopard's last actual security update was in 2011. The thing released in May of 2012 was to patch a hole within the Intell only version of Leopard and even then it was mostly done to maintain Mac OS X's malware resistance public image by removing an out dated version of Flash player.