Dev no longer supports app can I update it?

[Justinb51]

Okay, I got an app on my phone that I paid for, hasn't been updated since early 2012. Tried contacting dev through the App Store.... No luck, website is no more.

When I open the app my iPhone gives me an error message saying something like this app needs to be updated and my slow down my device.

I want to know if anyone would know the process, if it's possible, for me to basically copy the app in Xcode and update it myself for my own personal use of course.

I have not ever made an app so I would be learning as I go.

Thoughts?

 

[0007776]

Okay, I got an app on my phone that I paid for, hasn't been updated since early 2012. Tried contacting dev through the App Store.... No luck, website is no more.

When I open the app my iPhone gives me an error message saying something like this app needs to be updated and my slow down my device.

I want to know if anyone would know the process, if it's possible, for me to basically copy the app in Xcode and update it myself for my own personal use of course.

I have not ever made an app so I would be learning as I go.

Thoughts?

Unless it was an open source app where the developer published the source code no you can't update it.

 

[Justinb51]

Unless it was an open source app where the developer published the source code no you can't update it.

How would I figure that out?


Here's the app in question...

SFSTest by Accident Analysis and Reconstruction, Inc
https://appsto.re/us/xzJ4A.i

 

[0007776]

How would I figure that out?


Here's the app in question...

SFSTest by Accident Analysis and Reconstruction, Inc
https://appsto.re/us/xzJ4A.i

The best bet would be going to their website however since that no longer exists you would probably have to do more research to track down the developer and ask them. That said paid apps are 90%+ of the time not open source, and I believe that at the time that app was last updated iOS apps couldn't be made open source due tin apple's policies.

Are there no other apps that fill a similar niche?

 

[Justinb51]

The best bet would be going to their website however since that no longer exists you would probably have to do more research to track down the developer and ask them. That said paid apps are 90%+ of the time not open source, and I believe that at the time that app was last updated iOS apps couldn't be made open source due tin apple's policies.

Are there no other apps that fill a similar niche?

Dang, yeah I'm not sure if there's another app like this one, I haven't looked yet. I just hate to have to pay for another app when I already paid for this one. Thanks for your help.
[doublepost=1482122645][/doublepost]I just did a search and didn't find anything. I'll keep looking. Maybe it's time for me to actually figure out how to make an app.

 

[swedefish]

I have been an iPad user since the iPad 1 and a lot of the early apps I paid good money for are no longer supported and useless (e.g. Sketchbook Pro). Other apps still work but the developer is pushing users to move to the new version of the app and pay for it again (e.g. iAnnotate). Other developers are amazing and I still effectively use the same apps that I paid for once although the user experience has been immensely improved through incremental updates to the point where the current version of the apps are vastly different from the original versions I paid for many years ago (e.g. Notability and GoodReader). Kudos to developers who stand by their product over the years — that is how you develop a great reputation.

 

[C DM]

Okay, I got an app on my phone that I paid for, hasn't been updated since early 2012. Tried contacting dev through the App Store.... No luck, website is no more.

When I open the app my iPhone gives me an error message saying something like this app needs to be updated and my slow down my device.

I want to know if anyone would know the process, if it's possible, for me to basically copy the app in Xcode and update it myself for my own personal use of course.

I have not ever made an app so I would be learning as I go.

Thoughts?

But you can still run and use the app as it is at the moment, right?

 

[Justinb51]

But you can still run and use the app as it is at the moment, right?

Yes, absolutely which is great. I just would like it updated since its formatted for a smaller screen and I get the warning.

No real issue, I was just wondering if it was possible to do what I was asking before. Curiosity really.
I think I'm gonna try and build my own version, from scratch. Wish me luck, lots of YouTube hours in my future.

 

[0007776]

Yes, absolutely which is great. I just would like it updated since its formatted for a smaller screen and I get the warning.

No real issue, I was just wondering if it was possible to do what I was asking before. Curiosity really.
I think I'm gonna try and build my own version, from scratch. Wish me luck, lots of YouTube hours in my future.

Good luck, just be careful to be different enough that there won't be a copyright complaint if you get it working and put it on the App Store. At the very least trying to build your own version will be a good learning experience.