The App Store needs better APIs for indie devs

Yesterday Jeff Johnson published an article – Beware of App Store app bundles which describes a painful journey using App Store bundles as a workaround for offering upgrade pricing. This’s just one example of the App Store lacking basic features which should’ve been available on day one.

Yours truly been struggling as well, and using TestFlight as a free trial workaround for Apple Watch app.

It’s 2024 and I think there are three massive things the App Store can still give us, these three signs will make a business of indie developers healthier and stronger. It will save us stress, and development time. It will make us more money we so desperately need.

So it’s 2024 and I want these three things.

1. Free trials for paid upfront apps.
2. Upgrade pricing for new major releases.
3. Version management which would allow customers to install previously purchased releases of major versions.

Any item ticked on this list will improve relationships between Apple and small indie studios.