Apple Merges iOS, WatchOS and Mac Developer Programs - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Merges iOS, WatchOS and Mac Developer Programs

by

Apple today announced that it is merging all of its developer programs into a single developer program, letting developers pay one fee to access both Mac and iOS developer tools. Before today, Apple offered a Mac developer program and an iOS developer program, accessible with separate $100 fees.

applemergeddevprograms

The new Apple Developer Program combines everything you need to develop, distribute, and manage your apps on all Apple platforms into one single program, making it easier than ever to bring your creativity to over a billion customers around the world. Get your apps ready for the App Store on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, by enrolling in the Apple Developer Program today.

It now costs $99 to access all SDKs and betas of iOS 9, OS X, and the company's newest software platform, watchOS. Apple has created a support document to explain the changes and walk developers through the process of transitioning to the new membership program.

All individual and organization developer accounts have been upgraded to the new program and can access the tools for iOS and OS X. Membership expiration dates and Technical Support Incidents have not been changed. For those who had memberships to both former programs, the new single account has an extended expiration date that includes the sum of days that remained in each program.

Top Rated Comments

R
Razeus
147 months ago
And yet can't merge iCloud accounts.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kwokaaron Avatar
kwokaaron
147 months ago
They really shouldn't have used a number as the logo for the watchOS. Makes it confusing since iOS already uses it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BillyBobBongo Avatar
BillyBobBongo
147 months ago
Sounds good, never really understood the need to separate them all in the first place. I must say though, I have and iOS developer account but have been able to download OS X stuff since Yosemite came out.

Guess the change in thinking has been on the cards for a while now.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Peel Avatar
Peel
147 months ago
They really shouldn't have used a number as the logo for the watchOS. Makes it confusing since iOS already uses it.
Not only that, but the iOS logo background is actually the shape of the Apple Watch, where as the WatchOS circle, well... isn't.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
jayducharme
147 months ago
Smart move. I wouldn't be surprised if the double-fees were one reason why Mac app development seemed to lag behind iOS.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kwokaaron Avatar
kwokaaron
147 months ago
Yeah but the lack of women in development! [/social media outrage]
Well yeah but one's a roman numeral, the other is a number with a squared off logo and the other is a number that's round. I guess ya just gotta remember shapes and numbers.
LOL. Kind of like one of those cognitive ability tests you do when applying for a job.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
Read Full Article • 145 comments
Mac mini vs Studio Feature Sans Text 1

Apple Caught Off Guard by AI Demand for Mac Mini and Mac Studio

Sunday August 30, 2026 8:52 am PDT by
Apple's unusually timed announcement of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models this week was driven by unexpectedly strong enterprise appetite for AI hardware, according to The Information. Apple normally releases new Mac models in the autumn, closer to October or November, making this week's announcement unusually early, falling just before the anticipated arrival of new iPhone models. The...
Read Full Article • 244 comments
Mac Studio Feature

Apple Seemingly Made a Mistake When Announcing the New Mac Studio

Monday August 31, 2026 11:19 am PDT by
Apple's press release for the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips last week initially stated that the computer had "next-generation SSD architecture built on PCIe Gen 6." However, as spotted by the French blog MacGeneration, Apple removed the PCIe 6.0 mention from the announcement shortly after it was published. The press release still mentions that the new Mac Studio has a...
Read Full Article • 66 comments