PSA: Bartender Mac App Under New Ownership, But Lack of Transparency Raises Concerns

[nutmac]

Wait, do you think Apple bought it or something? What makes you think it will be sherlocked now? It's not like its a new app.

No, merely that I think Bartender-like functionality will be folded into macOS as a standard feature.

macOS Control Center is Apple's first attempt, which currently houses only Apple's own menu bar items. I think it will be expanded to support third party.

 

[skalnik]

I just revered to the previous update.

Do you have a link to a previous version?

 

[XiangHo]

Sure, 'Barbee' on MAS do that.

Is there an app alternative to just shrink the space between the menu bar icons?

 

[brerlappin]

Sure, 'Barbee' on MAS do that.

Thanks so much, I’ll check it out!

 

[brerlappin]

Do you have a link to a previous version?

This is for 5.0.49

https://www.macbartender.com/B2/updates/5-0-49/Bartender%205.dmg

 

[panzerboy]

I’m still using Bartender 4 but will investigate alternatives now. Thanks for the PSA.

 

[tennisproha]

is bartender supposed to be a menu bar replacement? sounds like a solution in search of a problem

 

[ignatius345]

I just revered to the previous update.

Fair enough. I figure it’s probably gonna break sooner or later so I might as well just get used to using something else.

 

[dsusanj]

Do you have a link to a previous version?

Links to all previous versions (at least until the new developers remove these):
https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender5/release_notes/

 

[confirmed]

For now, I'm using Little Snitch to block this app from having any internet connectivity. Other than checking for updates, there's no reason this app requires internet access.

 

[Lvivske]

I just assumed the screen recording permission was for generic **** in recognizing when an app was running to hide it, so this is a legit uninstall situation?

What are the odds that “vision” includes a switch to a subscription model?

Is that any different than paying to upgrade every year under the old ownership?

 

[Tagbert]

is bartender supposed to be a menu bar replacement? sounds like a solution in search of a problem

It is a utility that gives you control of all of those menubar icons that appear on the right side of the menubar. If you have a lot of apps installed it is not uncommon to have more icons than will fit within that space. Bartender moves the extra icons to another panel that only appears when you want it. It also lets you rearrange the order of the icons you do show. It is a useful utility and has been for the past decade.

 

[foobarbaz]

Maybe one should check the facts before they go off half-cocked. It does seem the original owner is working with them to keep it headed in the right directioin.

Is that a fact? I call it a claim. And even if so, the previous owner can't vouch for what they're actually uploading.

The only undisputed fact is that ownership changed and they didn't tell anyone. And that's clearly not heading in the right direction.

So right now, I literally trust a random app on the internet more. Both have a 0 day track record for my trust, but at least it didn't get to 0 by violating my trust.

 

[Elyus]

Thanks for this PSA. I decided to block all internet access to the app based on this report and found, at least according to LittleSnitch, that there is some form of use of an analytics API not documented in the internet access policy. I downgraded to the last stable version linked in this thread (5.0.49 from last December) and don't see it using that connection, so I am wondering if it is added by the new owners.

To be fair, many applications use analytics for a variety of legitimate purposes, and it seems to generate little traffic in this case. However, given this very odd situation and the overall lack of communication about changes, I'll continue with the old version with blocked internet access until finding an alternative or getting more transparency from the new owners.

 

[NikoBeaR]

Thanks for this PSA. I decided to block all internet access to the app based on this report and found, at least according to LittleSnitch, that there is some form of use of an analytics API not documented in the internet access policy. I downgraded to the last stable version linked in this thread (5.0.49 from last December) and don't see it using that connection, so I am wondering if it is added by the new owners.

To be fair, many applications use analytics for a variety of legitimate purposes, and it seems to generate little traffic in this case. However, given this very odd situation and the overall lack of communication about changes, I'll continue with the old version with blocked internet access until finding an alternative or getting more transparency from the new owners.

Someone mentioned that .48 is the last version before the file size increase to .49

 

[MasterHowl]

Sounds sketchy. Uninstalled with AppCleaner.

 

[svish]

Waiting to hear more about the future of this software.

 

[tehabe]

Embarrassing are their comments on Reddit, they say nothing about who they are and all that is known is, that it is a Delaware LLC which is essentially meaningless. Not a good look.

 

[HDFan]

I'm using Little Snitch to block this app from having any internet connectivity.

Did the same so I can review connections.

at least according to LittleSnitch, that there is some form of use of an analytics API

Connects to amplitude.com which seems to be a legitimate digital analytics site.

 

[cyanite]

I've disabled it. I always trusted the app but new dev could easily add in code that takes advantage of the screen sharing. Super bummed about this

Sure, but any developer can do that at any time.

Well that's all less than great... I really like Bartender but this is weird and concerning given the permissions it seems to need.

Nothing to do with this ownership handover. It needed that already, and there are good explanations for that.

I noticed the latest update required more permission allowances than usual. Deleted.

Such as?

 

[Marco Klobas]

Usually when a software company is bought the user base is informed about the new ownership (often filled with exciting statements about future developments and reassuring words for the current users).

The more they wait to clarify the matter, the more will rise speculations, complains and uninstalls as is clearly evident from this thread.

Precautionary, I uninstalled it.

 

[ibookemo]

For now, I'm using Little Snitch to block this app from having any internet connectivity. Other than checking for updates, there's no reason this app requires internet access.

This is a great idea 💡 I’m going to do this today.

I don’t care too much about a new owner as I didn’t know the previous one either. It’s a good app - blocking with Little Snitch makes sense anyway.

 

[dsusanj]

Apparently, as per this tweet, the new owners of Bartender are Applause.

From their FAQ page, this is telling:

We certainly continue to invest in new features and improving the user experience, but our belief is that users don’t want (or need) big overhauls on the products that they already love. A guitar tuner doesn’t need a massive rebuild every six months!

A fresh update from the makers of MacUpdater is also worth reading here.

 

[153957]

All new Blog posts on the macbartender website blog (everything after the 'Bartender 5 - Updates' post from October 2023 which does seem written by the original developer) seem very vague and almost like they were written bij AI. It is also weird most were posted on the same date..

 

[Lihp8270]

Apparently, as per this tweet, the new owners of Bartender are Applause.

From their FAQ page, this is telling:

A fresh update from the makers of MacUpdater is also worth reading here.

Not a customer so no skin in the game for me.

However I don’t trust any company whose website doesn’t have a physical address and real phone number. Applause isn’t a company I’d purchase a product from.