If an app gets transferred from one developer to another, does it necessitate a re-purchase?
From the App Store Connect, App transfer overview page:
You transfer an app when you’ve sold the app to another developer or you want to move it to another App Store Connect account or organization.
You can transfer the ownership of an app to another developer without removing the app from the App Store. The app retains its reviews and ratings during and after the transfer, and users continue to have access to future updates. Additionally, when an app is transferred, it maintains its Bundle ID — it's not possible to update the Bundle ID after a build has been uploaded for the app.
I have purchased a free/paid app from the App Store but it is not currently installed on the device. In the meanwhile, the original developer of the app decides to sell away the ownership to someone else.
As an end user who previously bought the app, (and any associated in-app purchases,)will this necessitate a re-purchase? i.e. will the app remain linked to my Apple ID or not?
Emphasis on the fact that the app is not currently installed on device. The linked documentation does mention that the users will continue to have access to future updates, but I am looking for an authoritative documentation which answers the query. (Or someone who had personal experience with this scenario)
Best Answer
No re-purchase is necessary for the end-user - you'll be able to both download the app and receive updates in the future. The app remains listed as a Purchase on your Apple-ID, so it doesn't matter if the app is actually installed on your device or not.
As you've requested a reply from someone with personal experience, I can say that I have tried this in practice - and it works like described.
The only real change visible to users is that if the app is part of keychain sharing group, the user will have to login once again after installing the first update from the new developer.
Apart from that - everything else is technically exactly as if the original developer hadn't transferred the app, i.e. the new developer can choose to remove the app from sale, stop doing updates for it, make it incompatible with older devices, create updates that remove functionality, etc. - but the original developer could have done the same.