Sierra "Optimize Storage" & iOS apps

[stagmeister]

I'm a bit confused. The "optimize storage" feature suggests that I save space by "automatically removing iTunes movies and TV shows that you've already watched." But when I click on the iTunes section to see what's taking up space it (correctly) shows mostly iOS apps which are downloaded to my computer. I have thought for a long time that this is a stupid system because the apps won't run on macOS so why should I have them taking up 20-30 gb of my SSD?? Anyway I thought that perhaps now I'd be able to remove them from my computer. Is this not possible to do with the current system of "optimize storage"?

 

[blasto2236]

You can just delete them from the Apps section in your iTunes library if the option isn't on the Optimize Storage page, although there should be an x to the right of the file that lets you delete it there.

As far as the apps being on your Mac, this is from a bygone era before iCloud backups when iTunes would actually transfer the apps themselves to your computer to preserve the app data during a backup/restore. Or at least that's how I think it works.

Spent a solid hour one day trying to explain to my grandma why the Hulu app in iTunes won't work on her computer. Got nowhere, lol.