“Apple has slashed the number of app categories listed in the Mac App Store’s Categories tab, an apparently intentional move that may irk Mac users and developers who rely on the tab to aid app discoverability,” Tim Hardwick reports for MacRumors.
“The tab now lists just 10 categories, down from the 21 it had listed since the revamped Mac App Store debuted with the launch of macOS Mojave in September,” Hardwick reports. “The missing categories include Finance, Lifestyle, Sports, Weather, Medical, Travel, Education, Reference, Entertainment, Health & Fitness, and News.”
Hardwick reports, “Currently, iPhone and iPad users remain able to browse all 21 iOS app categories individually in the iOS App Store app.”
@AppleSupport Mac App Store is no longer showing all categories, missing Finance, Medical and other categories. Reproducible on different Macs. pic.twitter.com/PUtN95GxdN
— Debit & Credit (@DebitCreditApp) November 1, 2018
OK, thanks. As it turns out, what you are noticing is expected behavior. We always appreciate hearing customer feedback. You can leave your thoughts here: https://t.co/eTPVYVFyd8
— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) November 1, 2018
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Number of App Store categories must equal the number of fast cars that Phil Schiller likes? (smirk)
Perhaps this is just an interim step along the way toward improving the App Stores?
We look forward to hearing Apple’s rationale, if we ever do.
Apple’s “rationale” of changing things and then letting the customer figure it out has worn thin on me.
Like most here I used to love a new OS or iOS release or hardware upgrade/intro just to figure out and marvel the changes and newness.
Now Apple has a HUGE customer base and I doubt most are that excited to hunt for what’s different in the settings tab or where a selection has been moved from one category to another. Many are older or professionals and don’t do the “nerd” search or want to look up articles or (even worse) wade through GBs of Apple how to pages just to figure out how to use the damn thing AGAIN!
Yes, change is good, but some of us outgrown the Easter egg hunts…..
Don’t worry I have checked with Schiller and will be returning bigger and better in Xs Xs Max and Xr versions to suit all tastes.
The new app store is a loser.
The old one was not great, but better than the thing they have now.
I wonder if Apple is going to add a bully platform to it’s app categories. The new MDN would fit well in there.