Apple Brings Universal App Purchases to iOS and macOS Platforms
Apple introduces universal purchases in Xcode 11.4, letting customers buy an app once and access it across iOS, macOS, and tvOS. The update also unifies App Store categories and enables cross-platform app bundles.
Apple releases the Xcode 11.4 beta with support for universal purchases, allowing developers to bundle iOS, macOS, and tvOS apps together for a single price. Customers who buy a universal app enjoy access across multiple Apple platforms without paying again. This long-requested feature becomes available to the public starting in March 2020.
Developers easily set up universal purchases by using a single app record in App Store Connect and a single bundle ID in Xcode 11.4. The system turns on by default for new Mac Catalyst apps, and creators can even offer discounted bundles that combine their Mac and iOS applications for the first time.
To accommodate these cross-platform apps, Apple unifies several App Store categories between the iOS App Store and the Mac App Store. New categories become available for each platform, while Mac apps previously listed under "Photography" or "Video" automatically move to a combined "Photo & Video" category.