Hi all,
Sorry if this is the wrong place to put this, I could have sworn I saw an "Applevis feedback and discussion" forum but I can't find it now. ☺️
Anyway, I have a feature suggestion for the iOS app directory, the subject says it all really. I picked up an M1 Mac a few weeks ago and I've been really enjoying using it, both for Mac apps and iOS ones as well. That last one got me thinking that it might be good to have a field indicating if an app can be installed on an Apple Silicon Mac that could either be set to Yes, No or not known much like the field for Apple Watch works now. I think it would be helpful for people just browsing, or considering getting a new Mac with running specific apps in mind. While the M1 user base isn't that big now it's bound to only get bigger as Apple continues to transition new Macs, so over time more people would be able to fill this field out when submitting apps, I know I'll be happy to when submitting apps to Applevis in the future.
Comments
Great idea!
Hi,
I'm getting an m1 macbook air in the next few days, and would love to see this!
It would really help me, as well as others.
I say, "if it can be done, go for it!" :)
My current thoughts
This is something that I've already given some thought to, but would probably like to see things mature a little before adding it.
One issue is always going to be that many people submitting apps to the iOS App Directory won't be Mac users, and there's currently no easy way for them to know if the app is available to download on the Mac (and, yes, what we do with Apple Watch support would allow for this and probably be the best that we could do).
Possibly more of an issue right now, is that it's all a bit messy - some iOS apps have been enhanced by their developers for use on the Mac; some developers have chosen to make their apps available but done nothing other than probably test them; and other apps are simply available to download because the developer hasn't been bothered to opt-out or has effectively abandoned the app.
There is also the issue that all iOS apps can currently be sideloaded on to a Mac, although it appears that Apple is likely to prevent this soon (they did briefly make it impossible, but the last I knew was that it could again be done).
It also sounds like Apple still considers iOS apps on the Mac as a work in progress, and has enhancements in the pipeline.
Consequently, I would prefer for things to become a little clearer and more stable. This should allow us to make sure that however we choose to implement any field will have a degree of future proofing (experience has taught me that it's easier to get these things right from the get-go rather than have to go back and change things around at a later point). It will also hopefully ensure that the implementation is optimum, in that it tells readers something accurate and useful.
Fair enough
The apps I was referring to here were specifically iOS apps that are downloadable without side loading - I run a lot of apps that aren't as well but that's less official as you said. From an end-user point of view, it's actually very clear what apps are available this way and which ones aren't, because doing an App Store search will show you only actual Mac apps unless you specifically change the search to find iOS apps much like how iPads filter out unoptimized iPhone apps unless you tell it not to. When I was writing this suggestion I was referring to those apps, not anything that works after side loading or that have Mac apps with the same name which are coded from scratch, IE Twitterrific or Ulises.