Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Begins Offering 'Last Compatible' Version of Apps for Users Running Legacy Versions of iOS
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
If the older version is missing features, then there's fragmentation.
For example, consider a messaging or social media app - and the old version can't fully interact with the current version.
So the solution is stop supporting the app altogether and cut off the user from ever getting the app again unless they abandon perfectly good hardware and upgrade? Only Apple could inspire logic like that....
How much market share is affected by this, not much, but for the people it does its a welcome overdue change..
Wonder if this has anthing to do with the antitrust lawsuit (that I at least heard of, not sure if anything came of it) regarding the AppStore and its methods.
Apple Begins Offering 'Last Compatible' Version of Apps for Users Running Leg...
Got it working with twitter and angry birds seasons on iPod touch 2nd gen on 4.2.1!!
Other angry birds need openES 2.0 hardware
Will try some other apps later
Edit: cut the rope free works too
Got it working with twitter and angry birds seasons on iPod touch 2nd gen on 4.2.1!!
Other angry birds need openES 2.0 hardware
Will try some other apps later
Edit: cut the rope free works too
Last edited:
So do I. I'm scared of my iPhone 4 stuffing up again (requiring OS reinstall), because I won't be able to install iOS 5.
The difference with those platforms is that fragmentation was expected as a "feature" of the market.
Android and Windows Phone offer features to developers and device manufacturers to ensure that their Apps can run on as many devices as possible.
Apple is selling devices today (through the Apple Store) that will not be compatible with iOS 7 due to be released later today. App developers can target iOS 6 still, but they are discouraging it. Google does not take the same approach with Android, so the effect on the end user is different.
"Outdated" is not a very good term to use. The length of support an iOS device gets is not based on when it was released or the components it contains.
Excellent. I still have a 1st Gen iPad stuck on iOS 4.3. Given that it cost around a grand, I was disappointed with how soon it stopped being OS upgradeable. The same was true of my first iPhone, a 3G, which also stalled at 4.3 - iOS 4.4 came out when the phone was only 2-2.5 years old. The 3G didn't run 4.3 very well - the phone was much slower and suffered very poor battery life compared to earlier versions - but many of my apps would no longer run on iOS 4.2. The worst part was that contract lengths here in Canada were (until last month) 3 years.
I noticed, however that the iPhone 3GS and iPad 2 have all had longer OS upgradeability. I chock this up to the rapid changes made between generations for the first couple of iterations of each device. So all of you out there clamouring for more and faster innovation better not be the same guys whining about planned obsolescence. I don't think you can have one without the other.
I noticed, however that the iPhone 3GS and iPad 2 have all had longer OS upgradeability. I chock this up to the rapid changes made between generations for the first couple of iterations of each device. So all of you out there clamouring for more and faster innovation better not be the same guys whining about planned obsolescence. I don't think you can have one without the other.
So I'm on an original iPhone on 3.1.3 and this isn't working for me. I had the facebook app on this phone, so I know there is a version that works with 3.1.3. It's not working for me though. And the alarm clock app I used to have. Every app I've tried give the ol' iOS 5 required message, and has nothing about downloading old versions. I was using this old phone as my alarm clock for years. Then I did a restore and got the surprise that all of my apps were gone
So I'm on an original iPhone on 3.1.3 and this isn't working for me. I had the facebook app on this phone, so I know there is a version that works with 3.1.3. It's not working for me though. And the alarm clock app I used to have. Every app I've tried give the ol' iOS 5 required message, and has nothing about downloading old versions. I was using this old phone as my alarm clock for years. Then I did a restore and got the surprise that all of my apps were gone
It appears iOS 4 (iPhone 3G's latest-possible OS,) is the oldest OS that supports this. Which is disappointing, it would be nice to have it all the way back to the original iPhone's latest-possible OS.
Double job for developers, but great for end users.
Why a double job for devs? This is a release they've uploaded ages ago. Provide a web page for common support questions (bear in mind they've already had them, and job done!)
It's not about if they have the app. It's more about they find an app they want on the app store. Or they re-download an app they deleted.
^
You must download to your older iDevice via the iTunes store on your iDevice.
These are the ones I've added to an iPhone 3G, running 4.2.1:
SoundHound
This one surprised me as there have been multiple updates since this earlier version yet this older one works fairly well.
AlienBlue:
Looks different, of course- as it's the older version, but works well.
MyStarbucks:
Nice to be able to swipe and purchase coffee using the 3G as this feature was lost when the app initially updated for 5.0 use only. It's updated since then too, so having it available for older iPhones is a wonderful consideration.
These are the main ones- as there are others.
As a backup device, by 3G now has more relevance.
You must download to your older iDevice via the iTunes store on your iDevice.
These are the ones I've added to an iPhone 3G, running 4.2.1:
SoundHound
This one surprised me as there have been multiple updates since this earlier version yet this older one works fairly well.
AlienBlue:
Looks different, of course- as it's the older version, but works well.
MyStarbucks:
Nice to be able to swipe and purchase coffee using the 3G as this feature was lost when the app initially updated for 5.0 use only. It's updated since then too, so having it available for older iPhones is a wonderful consideration.
These are the main ones- as there are others.
As a backup device, by 3G now has more relevance.
No, there´s no opt in for devs! This could lead to some problems for several devs. For instance: If you had any kind of licensing deal for your app V1 (min req. iOS 3.1) which you dropped with app V2 (min req. iOS 5.1) you´ll have a big problem.
It's OK, I recently got an email from Apple telling me how to enable/disable different versions.
It's OK, I recently got an email from Apple telling me how to enable/disable different versions.
Yeah, I just got my notification on all three dev accounts this weekend.
old version of Evernote
I tried several times today to download Evernote (via iPhone App store) for my 3GS/iOS 6. Version 7, which I knew wouldn't work, of Evernote kept being downloaded, without a warning that it wouldn't work, and stuck each time when the blue progress bar was halfway across the elephant's trunk on the icon.
However, it still appeared as "Purchased", and tapping the "cloud" icon on the right did give the option of downloading a compatible version. This also seems to appear if the icon is greyed out on the main screen, but not if it's showing as downloading (i.e. stuck).
Perhaps this might work to get other old App versions, if the App store doesn't point out that you need an older one.
I tried several times today to download Evernote (via iPhone App store) for my 3GS/iOS 6. Version 7, which I knew wouldn't work, of Evernote kept being downloaded, without a warning that it wouldn't work, and stuck each time when the blue progress bar was halfway across the elephant's trunk on the icon.
However, it still appeared as "Purchased", and tapping the "cloud" icon on the right did give the option of downloading a compatible version. This also seems to appear if the icon is greyed out on the main screen, but not if it's showing as downloading (i.e. stuck).
Perhaps this might work to get other old App versions, if the App store doesn't point out that you need an older one.