Last year, Realmac launched Clear+, a universal, iOS 7-compatible version of its task manager that was meant to replace the original iPhone-only version. The original version of Clear was discontinued, but consumer backlash over having to pay again for a new copy of the task manager prompted Realmac to continue updating the iPhone app. After months of maintaining two versions of the app, Realmac has reversed course yet again and is now returning to its original version of Clear, which has been updated with iPad support.

We’re going to be returning to just one, universal version of Clear for iOS, with the original version of Clear gaining iPad support. If you already own a copy of Clear, you don’t need to do anything as we’ve just launched an updated version of Clear with iPad support.

clear-ipad-iphone
To appease customers who purchased Clear+, Realmac is offering the universal version of Clear for free so users can migrate to the only supported version of the app. This promotion will be offered twice and will be available for 24 hours at a time. Users can sign up to be alerted via email when the app is made free.

Clear is a universal app that is available from the iOS App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Millah Avatar
156 months ago
All of this mess because Apple still hasn't supported giving developers the option for paid upgrades, or discounted upgrades for current owners. Thats how the software world worked for ages. Brand new substantial upgrades to applications would be charged for, and developers would give discounts to current customers looking to upgrade.

Customers have now just come to expect (and demand) that purchasing an app once for $0.99 is basically like getting a lifetime subscription to new applications from the developer. Thats wrong, and I wish Apple could do something to steer users away from creating this sense of entitlement and cheapness. For crying out loud, amazing software now costs less than a damn soda....its crazy the kind of value we get today in the App Store.

If a developer spends all this time creating essentially a brand new application, they deserve to charge for it, just like they did for the original version. The way it works now, where devs have to essentially create a new app listing in the store for substantial new updates, is confusing for users and creates this sense of resentment like the developer is trying to "cheat" you. Yea, would you like to get paid for just one month at your job, and then continue to have to work there without getting paid?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vanilla35 Avatar
156 months ago
RealMac did handle their "upgrade" to Clear+ very poorly, but it's just sad that iOS users are so adverse to paying for upgrades (or anything for that matter).

It's not "iOS" users, it's people. They don't want to pay for something they already paid for. Until it's a dramatically new app, people don't want to pay again for the same functionality. Also, android users spend more than 80% less money than iOS users do.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stridder44 Avatar
156 months ago
Ugliest color scheme for an app ever
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cymerc Avatar
156 months ago
RealMac did handle their "upgrade" to Clear+ very poorly, but it's just sad that iOS users are so adverse to paying for upgrades (or anything for that matter).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fluchtpunkt Avatar
156 months ago
I agree with your point, but bizarrely I would want Apple to make a much lower price point for apps, like 3 cents, rather than the $1 minimum.
Sure. Lets continue to devalue our creations to a point where you can't even pay the fees for the payment processing.


So, if I can sell a million downloads at 3 cents, that is $21,000 which is at least 6 weeks development time and easily enough time to make an interesting game.
And if your app costs 2 Dollars you only need 15,000 downloads to make the same amount of money. That's much more likely than selling one Million copies of your 3 cent app. There is a good chance that your app won't even get 1 million downloads if it's free.
The times were any ****** app gets massive of downloads are over. Don't look at Flappy Bird too much, that's the one in a million that disproves the rule. You won't create the next flappy bird.

I think this would be a really interesting price option, but I am assuming most people will think, "hey 3 cents, that's gotta be worth trying out", perhaps even that price will be too high?
Yes, this price will still be too high for the majority of the people who won't buy your app for 1 Dollar. It's not about the actual price, it's about paying or not paying and the value of your app.


The point being is that the potential user base for Apps is now so much bigger than anything we've seen before, and its only going to get bigger yet.
Even if every single person in the world has an iPhone you will never be able to make a living with an app that costs 3 cents.

Imagine if 0.01% of your customers have a question about the app and they start to email you. Who do you want to be? The guy who sold 1 million copies or the one who sold 15,000 copies for the same revenue?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2457282 Avatar
156 months ago
It's not "iOS" users, it's people. They don't want to pay for something they already paid for. Until it's a dramatically new app, people don't want to pay again for the same functionality. Also, android users spend more than 80% less money than iOS users do.

How do you do "more than 80% less?" Must be the new math thing. :D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...