Apple pulls the plug on the way a user has found to download iOS apps to the Mac

Apple closed a gap that allowed users to download iOS and iPad apps on M1 Macs that were not intended to run on a desktop, 9to5Mac. Reports. The server-side change ensures that apps that app developers have marked as optimized for the Mac will run.

Late last year, Apple launched its first Mac to run on an ARM-based dedicated CPU called the M1, in contrast to Intel chips that have been used in Macs for several years. These new devices included the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air, and the lower-end Mac mini.

Since these devices now share architecture with iPhones and iPads, which also have closely related ARM-based chips, it became possible IOS and iPadOS apps run natively on Mac computers Which was equipped with the M1 chip. Apple has supported this by listing iPhone and iPad apps that have passed an automated test on the Mac App Store, provided that the developers do not choose not to list the app.

However, many developers Act Unsubscribe for any number of reasons: because they didn’t feel the app provides a good user experience on laptops or desktops; Because it provides preferred alternative ways to access services or content on Mac devices; Because they don’t have time to support an additional platform; Or any number of other reasons.

In these cases, the apps did not appear on the Mac App Store. But two months ago, prof Reddit The user shared a method for downloading these apps on M1 Macs by fetching the app’s IPA file from a connected iOS or iPadOS device using a third-party program, such as iMazing, for Macs.

According to 9to5Mac, however, Apple has „inverted the necessary server-side switch” to block this method. The change is already affecting Macs running macOS Big Sur 11.1, and it also applies to Macs running beta 11.2. In fact, it presents an error message at the latter: „This app cannot be installed because the developer did not intend to run it on this platform.”

There are a number of reasons why Apple made this change. For example, an alternate version of the IPA file method described above can also be used to download pirated versions of apps instead of files from the legally and legally installed versions on iOS or iPadOS devices. Moreover, Apple and the developers may feel that these apps provide a poor user experience on macOS, and they could act as a support or security issue.