32-Bit Apps Represented Less Than 1% of Apple's App Store Revenue Last Quarter

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

It's fine that the App Store stopped accepting 32-bit submissions, or is placing 32-bit apps near the bottom of search results to prioritize newer 64-bit apps. But it's not fine to break or remove them all.

Some 32-bit apps are outdated, but simply don't have a suitable or cheap replacement. Some people even have older devices that would benefit from older apps, and they would lose access as well. (I was able to download/install Koi Pond and a couple other apps on my iPhone 2G still, because they had been abandoned, but were still hosted on the App Store.) Considering your name is OldSchoolMacGuy, I'm surprised you didn't even consider that.

But lastly, it is about profits. If these abandoned apps were making Apple a decent amount of money still, they wouldn't be taken down. If it were profitable to support older devices, instead of just the opposite, they wouldn't be taken down.

No one is making you upgrade. There is no requirement to get a new device or to upgrade to iOS 11. None. You can still use those apps all you like if you have to use them.

You're like the guy crying that you can't run this fancy new unleaded gasoline in your 1942 Buick.
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I agree with most of your points, but for every company it IS about profits. Especially if you end up supporting software that isn't yours and the original company either doesn't exist, has decided not to update the older software, or perhaps people don't like the upgrade and want to stay with the old version.

That's true. There is a support cost to Apple continuing to support old apps since it's obvious that the makers of those apps have long ago stopped supporting them. This is a move to save Apple and consumers money as they will no longer have to waste their time and resources not only building an OS that supports old 32-bit apps but also supporting those apps and the problems they cause.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

No one is making you upgrade. There is no requirement to get a new device or to upgrade to iOS 11. None. You can still use those apps all you like if you have to use them.

You're like the guy crying that you can't run this fancy new unleaded gasoline in your 1942 Buick.

Fun fact, mid-grade unleaded gas was made as the replacement for leaded gasoline.
https://www.chevron.com/stories/chevron-introduces-midgrade-unleaded-gasoline


I do agree with your "not upgrading" comment though. Will be keeping my iPad Air 1 on iOS 10.3.3 to maintain support with older apps. I have an iPad Pro 12.9" that runs fine on iOS 11.

 

[2ilent8cho]

If i keep my iPhone on 10.3.3 after iOS 11 will it nag me to death like every other recent iOS update has after a short while or will it not this time due to the 32 bit problem? If only there was a toggle button to turn off upgrade nags.

 

[redheeler]

No one is making you upgrade. There is no requirement to get a new device or to upgrade to iOS 11. None. You can still use those apps all you like if you have to use them.

You think Apple will leave these incompatible apps up on the App Store just for users of older devices or OS versions? I'm doubtful of that.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

You think Apple will leave these incompatible apps up on the App Store just for users of older devices or OS versions? I'm doubtful of that.

There are old versions of apps that I still download on my iPad 1 that don't show up on the store today.
The larger problem is IAP isn't available so if you had an old app and you bought an unlock or addon via IAP, you can't get that back.

 

[jinnj]

It is obviously possible to VM a 32 bit program to work in a 64 bit OS but with what currently unforeseen consequences?

Best to just kill off 32-bit instead of trying to maintain an outdated system. It's not just the 32-bit apps but the system libraries that support it. Running a VM works but users are already complaining about the size of the OS eating into their phones storage. What many of the users complaining on these sites should be doing is listing the apps because there are probably others that will perform the same or better.

 

[EdT]

You think Apple will leave these incompatible apps up on the App Store just for users of older devices or OS versions? I'm doubtful of that.

Ok, you have a valid point here. If you decide not to upgrade and something corrupts the app you can't download it again. I still Back up my phone to my computer so I would only lose data between my last backup and when the app crashes. Of course, if I restore and it crashes again then there's probably no point in constantly reloading.

Edit- I only have 2 or 3 32 bit apps and none of them fall in the must have category.

 

[redheeler]

There are old versions of apps that I still download on my iPad 1 that don't show up on the store today.
The larger problem is IAP isn't available so if you had an old app and you bought an unlock or addon via IAP, you can't get that back.

That's because you had probably "purchased" the app when it was available. I would assume Apple does let you download those again if you're on the same Apple ID, as is the case with most apps that you "purchased" when they were available but are no longer listed.

But not everyone has done that with every app they many want on an older device. So the question I'm asking is, will these apps still be available to new users, or will they be gone to anyone who has never downloaded in the past?

 

[ActionableMango]

I have six 32-bit apps, two of which I care a lot about.

• The first is my favorite game. There are certainly other games, but none quite like this one. I'd be happy to pay for an update. I contacted the developer years ago and he promised an update, but never did. I tried to contact him again last year and offered to pay him money to just recompile it to 64-bit (or whatever else is needed, I don't know), but he never responded. I'll just give up on this one and miss it.
• The second is a sound recorder application. That is obviously replaceable with any number of other applications. Heck, there's even a built-in app for that (there wasn't at the time). But there are a lot of important recordings in it, so I'm going to have to figure out how to export/import them. Even if I could get that to work, I bet I will lose all the metadata. When I went to contact this developer to offer to pay for an update, I saw that he's given up on technology and now does house-related contractor work.

Some people here insist on blaming some entity or another. I'm not interested in blame...that is not helpful to me. I am interested in the least costly/painful solution. Thankfully my impacts are very low and quite manageable.

Others may be in a more serious situation. I imagine many won't know about this problem or won't understand the warnings, and then they will be caught with their pants down after updating iOS or getting a new device with it already installed.

I'm unable to see the last step in the article's navigation instructions - From the About page where "Applications" is, I don't see an option for "App Compatibility". Does this mean I do not have any 32-bit apps on my device?

I assume so. That last step is clickable on my iPhone and it shows a list of six 32-bit applications. On my iPad that last step is unclickable (but it doesn't have any of those six apps installed on it). Your assumption is the same as mine.

 

[Glassed Silver]

Blame the developer, not Apple. They're the ones that abandoned the app years ago.

If you truly have a need to still run that app, don't upgrade. The same was the case with macOS years ago and the move away from old Carbon apps.

*buzzer sound*

Wrong answer.

As soon as you have to do a factory reset (because that's one of the few maintenance tools/fixes Apple sanctions) you're out.

iOS devices are NOT like Macs that you remain in control over. If Apple doesn't sign your firmware, tough luck!

Also you're forced to run an OS with security issues remaining unpatched just to run some apps that you need, that is ridiculous.

This is one hell of an inconvenience for a device that is touted for its simplicity and user friendliness.

Glassed Silver:ios

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Good question! There weren't any battery powered Airprint compatible printers 2.5 years ago when we moved to iOS. We needed battery operated printers that printed to letter size paper. We were familiar with the Brother Pocketjet line when we were on Windows and Brother had produced a wifi model which was compatible with iOS. The printers themselves are perfectly fine, cheap to run, relatively cheap to have serviced when necessary (when they're dropped usually), use thermal paper so print cleanly without sales people needing to carry replacement ink carts, and fit in their bags when they go into stores or bars etc. As far as I can tell Brother is the only company that makes this type of printer and while they do apparently have an Airprint capable model now we'd be spending 70x what we just paid to replace the units we already have rather than implementing a software solution. I'm hoping in 18-24 months when we move to whatever the next model iPad we implement to we can retire mobile printing completely

I get the frustration I guess but keeping support which could impact security down the line seems like a non-starter in my opinion. If you have something you need to keep running for now, I guess keep the device on an older OS. I just saw that one of our semi-custom apps is still 32 bit, which means we'll need to keep about twelve OG Airs on 10 until the developer comes to their senses.

Wow, that’s a bummer on the driver app. I’m finding myself using less and less paper so I’m one less person asking you for a receipt printed with incredible disappearing ink, LOL.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

You think Apple will leave these incompatible apps up on the App Store just for users of older devices or OS versions? I'm doubtful of that.

I doubt it too. If you need to hold on to them, download them to iTunes on your Mac/PC.

 

[Neepman]

Bet iOS adoption rate is a bit lower than average. I won't be updating two devices due to apps that haven't been updated and have no alternative.

You won't have a choice as like all iOS's since 8 you be forced to update will have everyday use apps from 3rd parties that will not work on day 2.

 

[firewood]

... until the developer comes to their senses.

The developer has come to their senses, and determined that all the customers (including you) are cheapskates. A custom app can cost as little as a few $10k.

Note that if it's really worth it to you, you could put your money where your mouth is, and offer to pay an app developer for custom app development.

... but I wonder just how many developers actually have these problems?

Over 85% of apps in the App Store don't even pay for a daily coffee shop budget. A few hours a week flipping burgers pays a more.

 

[Redbird9346]

So why don't those customers who complain about abandoned iOS apps learn to code and rewrite those valuable 32-bit apps themselves?

They don't have the source code, the assets, or even the right to use those assets in any app that would need to be updated.

 

[firewood]

They don't have the source code, the assets, or even the right to use those assets in any app that would need to be updated.

Most "copycat" apps (a huge portion of the App Store content) are done without any of that. So not needed, except for apps that require trademarked (e.g. "Disney", et.al.) content for which there there is no alternative that a good graphic consultant and/or iOS coder can't figure out a decent clean-room work-alike.

 

[CarlJ]

Don't blame the developer. If the app is at all worthwhile, blame cheap-skate customers.

Those apps bring in too little revenue, if any, to pay for the work required to update them.

One of the most glaring counterarguments to this is Slitherine, who make very detailed, and costly, strategy games.

They've made games like Battle Academy, Battle Academy 2, Commander the Great War, and Pike and Shot, which cost $20 each, and have a whole slew of IAPs (for additional campaigns, not consumables), it's easy to spend over $50 per game. And they are all going to die upon installation of iOS 11. And they're still for sale on the App Store as of today. And Slitherine's response has been to throw their hands in the air and say it's Apple's fault.

For a $2 game, I can have sympathy for the developer (oddly, I have a bunch of $2 games whose developers have pretty much come back from the dead to update their apps). For someone who took it upon themselves to make and market Premium Games, it's pretty inexcusable.
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XCOM:EW is 32 bit and unless 2K Games comes to the rescue, this game will fade into history on iOS.

Unless I misheard, they said XCOM:EW will disappear for a while, but will reemerge in 64-bit form.

 

[ericrall]

Goodbye Trigger Fist, it was fun while it lasted!

 

[usarioclave]

I have an iPad Pro and an iPod Touch just to use the 32-bit stuff down the road. Got them on Swappa in anticipation of this sad day.

 

[firewood]

For a $2 game, I can have sympathy for the developer (oddly, I have a bunch of $2 games whose developers have pretty much come back from the dead to update their apps).

...

For someone who took it upon themselves to make and market Premium Games, it's pretty inexcusable.

A lot a cheap apps are done by student/hobby devs who code for free/fun.

Whereas premium priced apps are sometimes done by corporations and devs trying to put food in the table and pay rent, and the app no longer does that. Excuse them when they move on to spending their time on something that pays enough to feed the family.

 

[mw360]

I've been reading these warnings all year that my old apps are making my iPad and iPhone run slowly. So when I upgrade to iOS 11 both devices will run faster, right? Somehow I seriously doubt it...

 

[mijail]

iOS devices are NOT like Macs that you remain in control over. If Apple doesn't sign your firmware, tough luck!

Also you're forced to run an OS with security issues remaining unpatched just to run some apps that you need, that is ridiculous.

This is one hell of an inconvenience for a device that is touted for its simplicity and user friendliness.

Only, maybe that's what it actually takes to have a device that can be touted for its simplicity and user-friendliness.

I do not like the idea of losing backwards compatibility, nor being forced to update / lose access to old apps. But on the other hand, I find it hard to feel sympathy for users of oh-so-beloved apps but didn't pay for them and feel entitled to the world continuing giving them access, damned be the consequences.

Of course it's much greyer for users who paid for an app that is getting forcedly deprecated...

 

[BornAgainMac]

I moved all my 32-bit apps of over a hundred to a dedicated iTunes library and the removed the ones I could find a replacement until I could get all almost all of them to fit on a 16 GB iPad 2.

Every week I check for updates hoping one of my favorites is updated to 64-bit. This was the best way for me to cope with this change.

 

[rpe33]

*buzzer sound*

Wrong answer.

As soon as you have to do a factory reset (because that's one of the few maintenance tools/fixes Apple sanctions) you're out.

iOS devices are NOT like Macs that you remain in control over. If Apple doesn't sign your firmware, tough luck!

Also you're forced to run an OS with security issues remaining unpatched just to run some apps that you need, that is ridiculous.

This is one hell of an inconvenience for a device that is touted for its simplicity and user friendliness.

Glassed Silver:ios

adapt or die.

 

[Glassed Silver]

adapt or die.

Fitting. Ya think Cook wants to make that their new slogan and run a Think Different-styled campaign?

(I'm not arguing your point btw, merely want to highlight how brittle Apple's image seems to have gotten)

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Only, maybe that's what it actually takes to have a device that can be touted for its simplicity and user-friendliness.

I do not like the idea of losing backwards compatibility, nor being forced to update / lose access to old apps. But on the other hand, I find it hard to feel sympathy for users of oh-so-beloved apps but didn't pay for them and feel entitled to the world continuing giving them access, damned be the consequences.

Of course it's much greyer for users who paid for an app that is getting forcedly deprecated...

Well, an OS can let you make a choice, hell make 32bit support opt-in so the security of 90% (and hence the motivation to use security holes stemming from that is low) of users remains the same, the rest have themselves to blame.

And I don't get the "didn't pay for them" part.

I paid for all the apps I own on iOS that weren't freeware. And it's not up to me to decide whether a developer makesa piece of software freeware or paid and certainly freeware doesn't by design have any less of a place to exist than paid software.

Glassed Silver:ios