How to delete purchased history

JM,

The discussion was deleted by the moderator... and understandably so. It was ridiculous, and really wasn't progressing the discussion (despite how hard I tried!)

The only solution right now is to go through the tedious process of 'signing out' of the store... every time you do an update, or purchase an app. In doing so, though you lose the automated notifications for updates, and anything else that's related to your account... until, of course, you log back in again.

There will ALWAYS be fools here that will respond with comments like "People who are complaining must have downloaded stuff they don't want people to see, so that's their tough luck!" or "That's the way Apple wants it, so you MUST comply!" (yes, I'm looking at YOU, Chris) ... neither of which are productive, or condusive to having a better and more satisfactory customer experience with their Apple product.

Given how quickly, and how loudly people have responded to this unannounced move by Apple, I would imagine that it won't be long before this changes. Apple has a responsibility to maintain the privacy of their customers information... and in this situation, they've failed.

Thank you for the level-headed posting. I doubt that you'll hear from any of the previous detractors. They know thay're wrong... but some like to argue just for the attention.

(That last comment will likely get edited... but I had fun typing it anyway!)

OpieM,

For what it's worth, I was glued to your discussion with Chris right down to the last post, and found it to be exactly what I'm experiencing in my situation. Too bad it takes so much effort (and frustration) to get anyone to see and feel your plight.

Hopefully this will once again raise people's awareness of the problems caused by this update, and bring Apple to understand the need for an immediate resolution.

I have used Chris' link to Apple's support page and vented my frustrations there as well (thanks for the link, Chris. Your were somewhat helpful after all). Let's see how long it takes before we begin to notice any changes.

I won't get into another rant about Chris. I've seen his other posts as well, and my Mom said if you can't say anything nice about someone... point and laugh silently.

What hasn't changed is that this IS an issue. Is it earth shattering? For some, perhaps. For me? Not so much... A quick Google search shows that a LOT of people share the same concerns, and it's something that the competition (Google, Blackberry, etc) could EASILY start running with and exploiting in the press. So, I would imagine that this will get corrected soon.

It's the detractors that dismiss it as a minor inconvenience that bother me. I paid a lot for this phone, and I pay for applications and such. If the inconvenience is necessary? Then fine... I can deal with that...

... but this is an unnecessary inconvenience. The information does NOT need to be posted on my iDevices, and if it is, it NEEDS to be afforded the same security and protection as all other items that are Store related. Simple as that.

What I'd like to know is where this 'Purchased' bar came from? It wasn't there a few days ago, and I have not done an update to my phone in some time. If it was something that was just 'Turned on' from Apple's side, then I have a REAL problem with that... especially when it came unannounced.

So, if anyone knows where this 'Purchased' bar originates from, please let me know. Was it part of an update? Or is this a 'pushed' feature?

Yes, the previous posts were too much. My apologies.

As far as "sticking to my guns", I never suggested it was "okay" or a good thing. It is what it is.

Yes, you have some valid concerns but (IMHO), it's not as big of an issue from the way I was interpreting your posts.

Currently there seems to be no way around it regardless of what one thinks about it.

Since iTunes/iCloud is still beta, they are looking for issues and how to do things better/easier and tweak it (and much more likely to do so if feedback is given).

What I'd like to know is where this 'Purchased' bar came from?

Yes it is "pushed" as when you open iTunes on the iDevice, it is part of the framework downloaded from the iTunes server, same as the search bar at top which helps narrow a search.

Apple has a responsibility to maintain the privacy of their customers information... and in this situation, they've failed.

This is my point. How is it not private? How does someone see your info without your permission? They don't. You give them permission to use your iPhone/iPad. Same with Mail and Contacts. Currently they cannot be locked/hidden.

Send suggestions to Apple.

I won't get into another rant about Chris. I've seen his other posts as well, and my Mom said if you can't say anything nice about someone... point and laugh silently.

So why not stick to that? Why post this comment?

Yes, the previous posts were too much. My apologies.

Good to see you back Chris and thanks for the apology. There are thousands of people following this issue and many would have got the wrong impression from your previous posts (of course even more would have if they had seen the discussions that were moderated-out...)

The point you keep missing is that this was imposed without any ability to edit/suppress information that we may wish to control. For a thousand reasons, not just the sniggering stuff, and including that fact that we may not want to be reminded of dozens of rubbish free apps that we have no interest in anymore.

You give them permission to use your iPhone/iPad. Same with Mail and Contacts. Currently they cannot be locked/hidden.

Except that we can edit these and choose our current footprint. Particularly useful when we want to share accounts and devices.

It is (IMHO, and many many others, just look at the chatter everywhere) a major mistake to make such a change without an opt-in/out available.

And let's be clear - it will change - quite soon.

Hope you are doing your bit to pass on wherever possible the depth of feeling in the community.

(prepare for edit)

*point and laugh silently*

Chris,

Yes, you have some valid concerns but (IMHO), it's not as big of an issue from the way I was interpreting your posts.

All of our concerns are valid, and it's the fact that you were looking at things only from your perspective that can drive anyone insane. Seeing things from YOUR perspective I'm sure you have it right, so no apology necessary.

Currently there seems to be no way around it regardless of what one thinks about it.

We know, we know. We are just trying to promote change, and pronto!

This is my point. How is it not private? How does someone see your info without your permission? They don't. You give them permission to use your iPhone/iPad. Same with Mail and Contacts. Currently they cannot be locked/hidden.

Clearly, you continue to miss the point. See? You are still looking at things from YOUR perspective. So I'll respectfully spell it out, as in my situation:

My family owns several devices and one "family" iPad. The purchases we each make are all LINKED to one account and the same password to access that account (of course, the same credit card too, mine, but that's ok). ... with me so far?

On each individual device, my iPhone and each of my family's iPod Touches, we have the ability to add as many email accounts and contacts as we like, without ever having to share that information with one another, unless we physically hand the other our device. We set it up that way in iTunes so we could each have privacy that way. I sit on my couch, download my emails, and everyone else is none the wiser, because this is NOT shared information. We each sync our device with our own computer/laptop or download via Wi-Fi ...capiche?

Recap: Many devices, one iTunes account, one password, lots of purchases, lots and lots of privacy. Even updates reflect only what is installed in any particular device, not all devices. The iPad? Books and apps only. When we use Safari to log in to our web email, or any other site for that matter, we can choose to delete the browsing history and, voila, all is private again!

Moving on... a couple of days ago, an update. Many purchases across a span of many years all of a sudden visible in all devices using the same account. No way to "log out" because everyone shares the password to the same account. Not worried that anyone NOT using our account will see it, just those sharing our account. My underage kids who have no business snooping through the adults' past purchases, some of which I may add are not intended for kids to begin with. ...comprende, amigo?

Maybe this sheds some light on why some of us are so adamant about changing the particulars of this update. I don't ever remember having a beta forced down my throat like this update was. I usually ok it first. The concept is good, we just want more control over what is shared across our own devices, the way we have control over email and contacts and even which apps we currently install on each device. I suppose, as has been proposed, a simple swipe to hide, remove, or just plain delete a previous purchase item would do. Even if it was still kept for whatever purpose at Apple's servers.

Agree 110% with what JM001 has said. I have the same setup in my house...8 and 10 year olds with our old iPhones they use for games / music. There's no reason for them to browse my old purchases. On top of that, there are apps I downloaded, tried, hated, and deleted within a 10 minute span that I now have to scroll through in that list. On, and on, and on. We all get it. Apple just needs to fix it.

There are so many things about these new updates I'm going to love, and I don't expect everything to go smoothly at first. As long as Apple responds when the user base cries out, I won't mind.

So hey, Apple...your user base is crying out. Please fix this.

This is not a reply, just a comment:

Where are our conversations going? I'm finding it frustrating that the comments being made here keep getting edited out. No one is being disrespectul. No one is offending anyone. When that happens, apologies have been handed out and accepted.

Why are comments dissapearing? Are moderators trying to drown out discussion about such an important topic as the privacy of our devices and our purchase history?

Why not let the comments and discussion continue? Let people who are searching for answers realize they are not alone and that this is a place where they can read other's situations that are similar to theirs.

Twice since I started posting have full pages of commentary and dialogue been removed completely. Why not, instead, warn people that their comments are about to dissapear if they don't watch their tone or language? Is this somehow tied to Apple's need to control everything and make decisions without regard for user input and feedback?

If a specific post gets deleted, the poster of that response should get an email explaining why it was deleted.

Any responses to that specific post (and so on) will also get deleted. No email will be sent to these other posts.

I didn't get any notifications.

Is this somehow tied to Apple's need to control everything and make decisions without regard for user input and feedback?

This is not the place to give user input/feedback. Apple may generally look at some stuff but go here -> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Here is the -> Apple Support Communities Use Agreement.which explains what is okay/not okay.

Chris,

Thanks for that. Like I said earlier, I am new at this.

That said, nothing I've read here really merits removal from these forums. I realize I'm not at the wheel here, but what all this amounts is really useful conversation. In fact, it's how I found your posts. It gets a little heated sometimes, sure. But what I want to know is if someone's passionate dialogue mimics the frustration I am experiencing, such as the questions relating to privacy in the Purchase History lists being discussed here.

You know now that neither I nor OpieM nor Thinkgiant, and I'm positively sure many others, agree in the least bit with your assessment of things. And we all want to scream at the top of our lungs how disconnected you are from our situations. In all likelyhood because you don't share your device at all, or perhaps don't have a family that you share an iTunes account with. So you don't understand. Nothing wrong with that. But I still want to hear what you have to say, even if it is through past postings where things were bordering on virtual fist fights. Why delete them?

This is not the place to give user input/feedback. Apple may generally look at some stuff but go here -> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Here is the -> Apple Support Communities Use Agreement.which explains what is okay/not okay.

I know this is not the place for user input/feedback. As soon as I found your link I went straight there and gave Apple a piece of my mind. Hopefully others are using it as well. And thank you again for making it visible to all. But I can't help wonder if whoever IS at the wheel of these posts is arbitrarily removing these conversations to keep the issue at hand from getting well, out of (Apple's) hand.

This update disgusts me to no end. And I want to hear everything everyone has to contribute without fear of it being removed if it is presented in a polite, albeit in a sometimes animated and reasonably expressive fashion.

I have some pruchase that I made by curiosity or by mistake, for example It seems that I boutght a Winnie the Pooh book, but i dont wanted so I deleted, and dont want it to appear on my purchase history either, and I have that problem with other things, I dont want to have that information, so how do I delete it. Im thinking in deleting my account and creating a new one.

so how do I delete it.

Really? Did you bother to read any of this thread?

You cannot delete (currrently) from your purchased items. Don't know if it will be possible later.

Im thinking in deleting my account and creating a new one.

You cannot delete an iTunes account.

I would not recommend creating a new one as anything you have downloadedform teh iTunes store still requires you to use that account.

I do think it is bad design on Apple's part to keep having to sign out so that purchase history is not shown to those using the iPhone / iPad. I was very surprised to know my kids were seeing all of these purchases on my iPad while I was logged in. I think Apple should put some privacy controls / password settings on this list or allow us to delete from the purchased page.

Drew

" I think Apple should put some privacy controls / password settings on this list or allow us to delete from the purchased page."

So you have sent feedback to Apple, correct?

This is now possible in iTunes 10.5. Here's how you do it:

1. Upgrade your version of iTunes to 10.5 (released October 11, 2011).

2. Click on iTunes Store in the lefthand column of iTunes and log in to your account.

3. Find "Purchased" in the Quick Links menu on the right hand side of the Store home page. Click on it.

4. You should see a list of your downloaded apps on the screen. Mouse over any app that you wish to delete. A small "x" in a round circle will appear in the top left corner of the app icon. Click the "x".

5. A notification will pop up telling you that your purchased app will now be hidden and how you can un-hide it in the future. Click OK. The app will disappear from your purchase history in iTunes and all associated iOS devices instantly. Verify this on your iOS device by navigating to your purchase history in the App Store.

Enjoy, and thanks Apple for listening to your customers!