This week I told you that Apple finally offers us the possibility to download old versions of some applications from the App Store, those versions being compatible with the old iDevices still used around the world. The announcement sparked criticism from developers, and now Apple gives them the possibility to restrict access to old applications. Through iTunes Connect, developers can restrict access to old versions of applications, forcing users to buy or download the latest version.
Previous versions of your apps are now available for re‑download by users who have already purchased them, allowing customers to use your apps with older devices which may no longer be supported by the current version of your app. If you do not wish to make these versions available, you can manage the availability of your apps' previous versions in the Rights and Pricing section of the Manage Your Apps module in iTunes Connect.
You are probably wondering why Apple made this decision, and the answer is quite simple: old applications could have incorrect functionality or lack functionality, especially if they need a server to display information, so in in the end the developer will be the one to blame for her problems. Many have updated their applications and extremely many functions that are based on them, and the old versions remained without support, so they could be unusable, and Apple offers developers the opportunity to avoid the problems generated by dissatisfied users.
