Apple has redesigned the web interface be for App Storemaking it actually useful for people who don’t view the store on Apple devices.
Before this update, users could see individual pages for apps on the web (which they likely found through a search engine), but there was no way to browse within the App Store. On a Macbook, navigating to an app’s iOS store page in the browser would launch its native App Store software. But on non-Apple hardware this would lead to a dead end.
The new interface allows users to browse apps by category, as well as by platform. There are separate sections for apps on iPhone, iPad, Watch and other devices. While users cannot currently download apps from the web, this functionality may be added later.
Granted, the subset of people who want to learn more about iOS apps from a Microsoft device, for example, is likely small. Perhaps this would be useful for app developers or researchers working on products in both the iOS and Google ecosystems.
This redesign also signals Apple’s continued push to portray itself as a more open ecosystem. For years, governments all around The world has filed complaints against Apple, accusing the company of acting as a monopoly to discourage competition. Every step Apple takes to make its products more accessible outside its own ecosystem is relevant to the ongoing legal battle.
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