TypeIt4Me 6 versus the Mac App Store version
What’s the difference? Good question! Want the short answer first? Here’s a summary of the situation:
How and why is TypeIt4Me 6 different from the Mac App Store version?
TypeIt4Me 6 – available directly from us – has newer features and is actively developed.
The Mac App Store TypeIt4Me is a “frozen” older version as Apple won’t accept major updates to it.
You can upgrade from the Mac App Store TypeIt4Me to version 6 *free of charge* by sending us your receipt from Apple as proof of purchase. We’ll send you an upgrade code.
| Mac App Store | Ettore Software Store | |
|---|---|---|
| Version number: | 2023.x | 6.3.x |
| Code audited by Apple engineers | ✓ | |
| Buy with Apple-ID | ✓ | |
| Buy without Apple-ID | ✓ | |
| iCloud sync with TypeIt4Me Touch iOS app (available separately) | ✓ | ✓ |
| iCloud sync with other Macs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other sync options | ✓ | |
| Snippet search window | ✓ | |
| Point-and-click snippet insertion | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple active snippet sets | ✓ | |
| Non-clipboard expansion | ✓ | |
| Import CSV files | ✓ | |
| Dark mode support | ✓ | |
| Maintenance / bug fix releases | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feature updates | ✓ | |
| Email tech support | ✓ | ✓ |
Now here’s the long answer:
It’s a little tricky to explain and this may make your eyes glaze over, but here goes. The TypeIt4Me available on the Mac App Store is a legacy version. TypeIt4Me was made available on the App Store in 2011, prior to the introduction of Apple’s strict sandboxing policy that mandates apps sold through that channel must now be entirely self-contained. Apple has graciously permitted non-sandboxed apps like ours to remain on sale on the Mac App Store, but TypeIt4Me must remain “frozen” there. While we will continue to offer tech support and fix bugs, we are unable to submit major new versions to the Mac App Store.
As a result, we now maintain two different versions of TypeIt4Me for two different distribution channels: the legacy version you can buy through Apple and a newer version available directly from us, that’s under continued development and will go on receiving new features over time.
The latest direct sale version is 6.3.x and it now has a more advanced feature set than the Mac App Store version. Among other things, it offers a floating snippet search-and-insert window, a non-clipboard expansion method and the ability to activate multiple snippet sets simultaneously. It also offers a choice of syncing snippets with other Macs via Dropbox, iCloud Drive, Google Drive or a shared network folder.
Previously, an important distinction was that only the Mac App Store version of TypeIt4Me was able to handle automatic 2-way syncing of snippets with the iOS TypeIt4Me Touch app via iCloud. This was due to Apple’s early policy of restricting iCloud access exclusively to apps sold on its Mac App Store. That limitation has since been lifted and so TypeIt4Me 6 is now able to sync snippets via iCloud with the TypeIt4Me Touch iOS app.
So, which version is right for you? That depends. Most people would be better off downloading TypeIt4Me 6.3.x. By popular request, we’ve left the older TypeIt4Me available in the Mac App Store for customers who prefer the convenience and added peace of mind that comes with purchasing from Apple. If you are one of the many Mac users who are reluctant to relax the gatekeeper setting that prevents apps downloaded outside Apple’s Mac App Store from running, then the TypeIt4Me version sold by Apple is for you. However, only the direct sale version available from the Ettore Software website will continue to get major updates and new features over time; you may want to factor that in to your purchasing decision. If you’ve purchased TypeIt4Me from the Mac App Store within the last few years and you’d like to switch, you are welcome to migrate to the direct sale version free of charge: just email us your Mac App Store receipt and we’ll send you a new licence.