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iPad's App Store gets search filters

According to MacStories, the iPad's App Store app just gained a very useful new feature: search filters. There are now five different filters you can assign to app searches: Category, Release Date, Customer Rating, Price and Device. Popovers allow users to adjust or clear filters.

This added search functionality hasn't made it to the iPhone/iPod touch App Store apps yet, but considering how cramped the screens are on those devices, it might never show up. Notably, these filters also aren't yet available on the desktop version of the App Store, so right now the iPad seems like the best way to search for apps.

No update is required on your end; this is a backend change to the App Store itself, so if you're using an iPad, you should already be seeing this updated feature. Search away!



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According to MacStories, the iPad's App Store app just gained a very useful new feature: search filters. There are now five different...
 

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Petruffm

Am I the only one who is having trouble with the advance arrows? Category games... Recent release..... Shows one page but the advance arrows will not change or forward to any other pages

March 05 2011 at 2:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jeroen

I'd rather have the appstore not kicking me back to the first page of the selection I was browsing whenever I download an app. Extremely frustrating and killing for app discovery. Or let me queue the downloads so I can continue browsing first.

February 06 2011 at 6:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lens

The App Store is train wreck for any kind of discovery. The only way I can use it is if I find out about an app elsewhere.

February 05 2011 at 4:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
EffExt

This feature would be a nice addition to the iPhone/iPod platforms but what I want is a cart or wishlist. I'm not sure why Apple never included this in the app. Maybe they are targeting impulse buying I use the Amazon iPhone app and I love these features especially when it notifies me when an item in my wishlist or cart had a price change.

February 04 2011 at 8:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alex Terry

Much better in my opinion.

The rating filter is essential!

February 04 2011 at 8:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bones3D

It's not very good. Either it uses a different database or it's been designed to exclusively search through a very limited selection of the total app store catalog. It could be time sensitive perhaps...like maybe it can only search from whatever apps were added to the catalog after the feature was launched.

(Actually, now that I think of it, this is not unlike how the early app store was prior to the addition of subcategories in games...)

February 04 2011 at 7:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jaroslav

Now, explain to me why I still can't get this functionality in the iTunes store on my Mac. Or is it hidden there somewhere? Seriously, this drives me crazy!

February 04 2011 at 7:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
hmlong

Now if they'd just add support for next page/previous page gestures instead of those stupid, minuscule arrow buttons. What is this, Windows?

I mean, why is it that the company that popularized gestures on iPhones and iPads can't add them to their own friggin' applications?

February 04 2011 at 1:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Zaheer E N

Also apps that you have already bought shows 'install' instead of the price, even if it is a free app.

February 04 2011 at 1:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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