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In iOS and iPadOS, you can access the Background Sounds simply by swiping into Control Center and tapping the Speaker icon (the one that looks like an ear). No need to drill down into the Settings app.
Hey! Thank you for posting this. I had no idea that was possible.
 
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You may hate the subscription model, but would you be okay with perpetual license and no support or cloud integration at all? I feel like a lot of people expect ongoing support, continuous improvements, and advanced features but still want to pay for one perpetual license.
That's like literally how it was in the early days. And if I wanted a new feature I felt was worth getting, I bought an upgrade/new version which was maybe 2-3 years down the road.

The pay one time model is still less expensive than a subscription model. This app used to be a one-time $9.99. Now it's either $2.99/mo or $19.99/year unless you opt for the one-time payment of $49.99.

At the old one-time payment price of $9.99 you could have bought a new version each year and you'd still be ahead vs their new pricing model. How often does an app like this need updating?

Subscription models also can make developers be sloppy and lazy and release apps when they're not ready as they can fix bugs later since you're subscribing to their fixes.
 
There's nothing wrong with a subscription model. What you should hate is the >5x price increase.

An $10 app should have a $3-$5 yearly subscription. That's in-line with an expectation of 2-3 years of free updates. (And yes, iOS is constantly creating work for developers to update their apps.)

Big difference between software rental (you pay forever and if you stop you're left with nothing) and true subscription apps (you buy support, features, updates for a certain amount of time and then KEEP using the version you paid for, even if you stop paying).

The apps I use that are working with actual fair subscriptions are Agenda and BusyCal, and also relevant to this discussion, MyNoise. I'm sure there are many others I don't know about.
 
I use "myNoise" I bought it and haven't heard if they switched to subscription. MyNoise has an extensive library of sounds (oceans, laundromats, planes, thunderstorms, purring cats) There is a small number that comes with the app and you can buy individuals or go to a premium tier and "get 'em all". The app has a bunch of sliders (like an equalizer) that lets the app emphasize and deemphasize some sounds as well as modify their frequency. By doing so, the white noise becomes less predictable and repetitive. Really nice app...
They haven’t switched to subscription. You can pay regularly to BUY sounds that come out, but if you stop paying you keep the sounds. They did kind of a clumsy job explaining this but it’s not a software rental.
 
In iOS and iPadOS, you can access the Background Sounds simply by swiping into Control Center and tapping the Speaker icon (the one that looks like an ear). No need to drill down into the Settings app.
I don’t see this when I try. I’m on the latest iOS and iPadOS. Do I need to enable something?
 
You may hate the subscription model, but would you be okay with perpetual license and no support or cloud integration at all?
Yes, that would be fantastic. Let's do that!

At the very least, software that doesn't have ongoing server costs should continue working with the featureset available at the time of last payment. I don't know about this particular application, but hypothetically it would be ridiculous to rent it for two years, suddenly realize you can't continue paying $1000 in monthly software rentals, cancel, and now you lose all of the sounds that already existed and you already paid for.

Also... if the operating system is in such constant flux that you have to make significant modifications to your software every single year to keep it viable... that's a problem with the operating system that needs resolved.
 
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Why not just use one of the websites offering this for free?

 
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Apple wants devs to submit ONE version of paid app. Devs are discouraged from submitting a completely new version of same paid app separately so they can charge for one time upgrade. (Apple wants devs to submit it as update to existing app, so either make major upgrade of app as free update or switch to subscription model)

Do you have anything to support this? I just bought Graphic Converter 12 after owning at least 10 and 11 (and probably some versions before that, but not sure where I bought them from).

I also somehow upgraded my Blink shell without needing to pay full price. Not sure how they managed that behind the scenes, but it seems more things are possible than some imagine.
 
Subscription fatigue is real. And I agree, the costs involved for a noise-making app when there are free or built-in-to-the-OS options makes this more than just a ”hard pass.” To me, it’s: “why would anyone pay the $50 one-time or any subscription?”

I use a very old-looking, not-updated-often but still works (the app was at least converted to 64-bit when it had to be): Sleep Fan. Paid the in-app purchase (can’t remember, was either $1.99 or no more than $5 total) so it continuously plays, and for me it’s invaluable for when I travel.

I have nothing against developers trying to make a living off their craft, but this non-server-requring, truly-useful-update needing app IMO is the LAST app anyone should pay monthly for. There are so many other better options out there that don’t require a constant revenue stream that some developers hope people just forget about and pay forever.

And for the record, I *do* pay full price for a game or two and some productivity apps — if they’re worth it to me and updates prove to be helpful. I’ve even happily purchased pricey-to-most-people apps that years ago were expensive for a complete version update or overhaul. And I pay subscriptions…for what’s worthy. A noise app like this isn’t even in the conversation, and their methods & reasoning are definitely poor form.
 
No thanks. For that price, a box of CBD gummies will let me sleep faster and more effectively.
Sorry for the off-topic, but does CBD actually improve sleep?
Not trolling here and I'm absolutely no prohibitionist.
I just want to know if it's real or placebo.
Thanks.
 
Or, if you have Spotify or Apple Music, there are tons of playlists ready for you there. This seems like a redundant product, subscription, paid or free, for most of us.
 
Dang... wish I had known yesterday lol... but anyway there are many options out there... one of my favorites is putting on an ASMR/No commentary run of Alien Isolation on youtube and setting a 30-45 min sleep timer on my Mac.. works wonders... Highly suggested. That game is eerily very relaxing and sleep-inducing if you are not playing it yourself. (if you play it yourself it's quite stressful :p)
 
100% no. I once paid for a simple noise machine app that had 8 sounds. Now, years later, it has dozens of sounds including ones that are user uploads. No no no. A sound machine doesn't have to have ten layers and be a subscription. Pass on this.
 
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Lack of "cloud integration" in a white noise app would be a positive, not a negative, for me.
That means all audio is stored in-app without streaming, no fetching meta data, no new sound scapes delivered. It would basically be a one and done content package.
 
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