iOS iTunes, App Store apps silently updated to add Purchased button (Updated)

While everybody was gawking at the news coming in from the WWDC 2011 Stevenote today, Apple silently slipped in an update to the iOS iTunes and App Store apps. The update, which was made on Apple's servers, adds a feature that was described in the keynote -- the Purchased button.

As you can see in the screenshot at right, looking at Updates in the App Store app now displays a Purchased button. Tap on it, and you see a list (below) of every app you've purchased. There's a tab displaying all purchased apps, and another showing just those that have been purchased but are not currently installed on the iOS device.

The apps that you've purchased and haven't installed (or that you've removed) display a little cloud button with a downward-pointing arrow, indicating that you can tap that button to install the app on your device.

For iTunes, the Purchased button is located in the bottom toolbar (see below). A tap displays all songs that you have purchased, recent purchases, and then an alphabetical list of every song purchased by artist. When you find a song or album that you own, but that isn't currently on your iOS device, a tap on the cloud icon downloads it immediately.

The change isn't immediately noticeable to the user who only occasionally visits these apps, but it is going to be very useful for owners of iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches who might need to remove apps or music to gain storage space, and then want to reload their content.

Update: One more little detail. When you're in iTunes and music that you've purchased is being downloaded, there's a small red indicator that appears down in the bottom right of the toolbar (below) and counts down as the songs appear. Cool!

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While everybody was gawking at the news coming in from the WWDC 2011 Stevenote today, Apple silently slipped in an update to the iOS...

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nazco

Now it would be really useful if when I navigated to an app on the appstore on my phone that I downloaded before, that a similar icon would remind me that I can download it for free.

June 23 2011 at 10:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Andy

Got it for the App store only... iTunes is stil missing

June 11 2011 at 1:42 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jroth

Um... that "small red indicator" appears there for all downloads in iTS. That's not exactly news.

June 08 2011 at 11:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Burt

the screenshot for itunes purchases pictured above is not what I get. I need to hit the more button on bottom right then at end of the list is a new purchased button that brings up the list of my previously purchased music. What is everyone else seeing?

June 07 2011 at 1:12 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

scott

if you guys want to register your UDID's check this out (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Apple-iOS-beta-activation-UDID-registration-/250833249080?pt=AU_MobilePhoneAccessories&hash=item3a66d3a338#ht_624wt_1141). im running ios5 on a 3gs and so far all is good :)

June 07 2011 at 12:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

scott

June 07 2011 at 12:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Burt

got the purchases option on the app store but not in my iTunes... confused now

June 07 2011 at 9:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Burt's comment

Wouter In t Velt

Same here: Purchases option in app store, nowhere to be found in iTunes store (also not under more option) (iPhone 4, iOS 4.3.3, in Netherlands)

June 07 2011 at 5:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

nybdotcom

Er, the Marshall Tucker Band? Really...

Back on topic, the 'Purchased' menu worked straightaway on my 3GS iPhone and my iPad 2. Downloaded a couple of albums/single tracks that weren't on the phone and/or iPad. Flawless.

June 07 2011 at 8:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Duscrom

Okay, Apple is really starting to piss me off. Their Fragmentation is actually worse off than Android, because Android still acknowledges that there is less than the newest version. But Not only does apple Ignore Verizon iPhone, but this ******* site doesn't even Acknowledge its NOT on ALL iPHONES! Would it really hurt to say in the article that it's not on CDMA iPhones? or are you guys just as dismissal to the non AT&T iPhones?

June 07 2011 at 4:37 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Duscrom's comment

Cy Starkman

Wahhhhhh

No but seriously, a fragment of one temporary device. It is like when the iPad was released halfway through an iOS cycle, it was stuck on 3.x while the rest could jump to 4.0

You should be happy you have a CDMA iPhone period and didn't have to wait to the 5 was released. Best bit, by the time you can in fall it will be all stress tested etc.

June 07 2011 at 12:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

pbup

i Enjoy your rAndom capitaliZaTION.

June 11 2011 at 11:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Christopher Hwang

checked my 'purchased' list and i'm happy that even apps which were pulled from the store (Delicious Library for the iPhone) are there to re-download. Much less happy that a lot of music that *should* be in my purchased list does not seem to be there. The most obvious culprit is the complete U2 box set that I got as part of the U2 iPod many years ago but several music samplers are also absent. Best I can figure, anything downloaded with a 'code' instead of an actual credit card purchase hasn't appeared yet. Oh, and all the free singles of the week which I've been downloading since the store opened !

June 07 2011 at 2:28 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply