maybe because macrumors knows it causes dissent and likes to keep the time-on-site metric up?
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Fantastical 3.0.9 Adds Cursor Support for iPad and More
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maybe because macrumors knows it causes dissent and likes to keep the time-on-site metric up?
Transition def. not fair. Flexibits could have made upgrade bundle, à la GoodNotes app.
Meanwhile, I still need to go through the hassle of updating my apps manually one at a time so I can keep my phone on v2, which I paid for and does all I need it to do.
They had the income to safely bring their app in multiple languages (+ natural input). Now, after their undeniable ignorance of communicating with their loyal users, they are too cowardly to bring news on Twitter. Recall their teasing enthusiasm for Fantastical's well-known V3 on Twitter ... 🤩😋
Although? The users would fall steeply from their new version! They kept that word... 🧐
Although? The users would fall steeply from their new version! They kept that word... 🧐
From their privacy policy:
- Event and task data synced to your Apple Watch is stored on Flexibits servers. This data is end-to-end encrypted and we are unable to access it.
- If you create a meeting proposal in Fantastical, the proposal is stored on Flexibits servers so that the invitees can respond to the proposal.
They "say" it's encrypted end-to-end. But Zoom said that too, and look what was discovered there. And let's think about this logically. The watch syncs with your phone directly naturally. All other calendar apps sync the data from the watch to phone directly over Bluetooth/Wifi. Why, all of a sudden, is it a REQUIREMENT to send the data to their servers, just to send it back down, if it's never looked at or accessed? And how do they tie meeting proposals to my calendars, if they never look at my calendars raw data? And what happens if they decide to change their privacy policy later, and decide they want access your data and anonymize it for profit? Can you remove your data from their servers?
No, there's no need to send it to them in the first place. They don't need access to it.
So, first off, it's not "all your data" and secondly you damn them because of Zoom?
They request this to enable you to have the Watch app be separated fun the main app, and to also allow you to keep all the apps in sync with eachother.
You say they'd no need for this : you're right. You do not have to use this feature, however it is required for the Apple Watch feature to be used.
I've no idea how they handle this behind the scenes; my personal guess is that it's a combo measure between just knowing when you have no appointments and things being handled on one device then synced to others.
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That's a pretty strong accusation there.
Flexibits deserves all the backlash, all the mistrust. They could have forked the app, could have made an upgrade bundle. F2 users paid for nag-free software. Flexibits ought not get benefit of a doubt.
I love Fantastical and have been a loyal daily user on desktop and mobile for many years. However, I'm in the jaded Fantastical 2 user group too. Asked us to pay A LOT for a prettier (arguable to some/many) version of the free Apple Calendar. Did that. Across multiple devices. THEN they want to switch to subscription based? Nope. When v.3 came out, I upgraded and stuck with the "generous" freebies they gave to existing users. I still love the app today, but any other middle finger moves they make to long time users and I'm out.
Oh, you'll get no argument from me on that they handled this very very badly. in fact, yes, it was a bleeding debacle.
That said, that doesn't mean you then distrust their statement on security either.
It’s amazing to me that this company didn’t come up with a $100 unlimited license or something (or whatever pricing might make sense)..
Surely it wouldn’t have taken away essentially any of the subscribers, but it would have assuaged a huge portion of people who prefer to buy & own (vs rent) software — particularly a calendar app.
Again - a ”calendar” app. Smh
If they are worried that ”too many people would buy only once” even at a very high price, that’s an indictment on just how not suitable to subscription pricing their particular App really is. (recurring value not truly there)
Surely it wouldn’t have taken away essentially any of the subscribers, but it would have assuaged a huge portion of people who prefer to buy & own (vs rent) software — particularly a calendar app.
Again - a ”calendar” app. Smh
If they are worried that ”too many people would buy only once” even at a very high price, that’s an indictment on just how not suitable to subscription pricing their particular App really is. (recurring value not truly there)
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For me there's not just one red flag. Flexibits's teaser campaign on Twitter a dud, totally tonedeaf. Flexibits's teaser campaign on its website (i.e., pixelated graphics describing features) a stumble -- all ya had to do is view source in order to see filenames revealing the secret features. F2 has been stagnant for years. And yet Flexibits makes beta invites *really* hard to come by; in other words: Flexibits receives inquiries from users who want to give them good feedback but, it seems to me, they dismiss these overtures, instead just drumming up hype thru bloggers + podcasters. Flexibits has made numerous bad decisions. It's not unreasonable for one to be wary.
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This. Informant and Week Cal two calendar apps with high-priced 'buy once' option. Apollo, Twitterrific two popular non-calendar apps with high-priced 'buy once' option. I for one would pay $39.99 x3? x4? x5? to buy but not ever to rent!
Showing a 2.7 rating in App Store. Guess they are still trying to ride that “subscription model” to the bank. Greedy company who doesn’t listen to its customer base. Their constant marketing on this site along with their big “editors choice” seal isn’t working to get people to buy into this BS either
I wonder, does the Editors Choice thing hail from the pre-subscription era perhaps?
Apps should be re-evaluated for that stuff with a major change in how they monetize if you ask me.
I do think F3 has been featured prominently, in App Store, during last couple months. I for one am really turned off by this endorsement from Apple. Would be nice to see policy against app updates bringing a change in pricing model.
but apple wants all paid apps to adopt that model! its not a bug — it's a feature.
Correct Eric. The book App Store Confidential
Nevertheless, the guys at Flexibits continue to be traitors who even view the default views on your calendar. All those extras ... ok, fine, ask what you want and receive from who wants to give! But no day-week-month (and year) view is (again) not done in a calendar app. Hope everyone involved will be punished for this and their view of life will change forever. They sow what they harvest. These kinds of people do not deserve the slightest sympathy and persist despite all the signals? Pride comes after the fall. Hopefully their fall will be hard, merciless and viewable from a 360 degrees view.
In the latter case, a 1 hour subscribtion is an option.
Then, immediately submitting a refund of course 👈
No pity for these unmistakable (!!) scruples of these decision-makers. You will lose. You will.
BusyCal for macOS outstanding. Informant, popCalendar, Half Year Planner cool ones, too. And also CalenGoo, which is excellent on iOS (although, on macOS, it's still a work in progress). https://www.calengoo.com/desktop/
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Examples: Total Commander. In use since 1998!!! One time pay (less than Fantastical just on MacOS). More than +20 years in use, without the developer ever asking a cent more (but got it out of sympathy).
Changelog
And Total Commander is a very different workhorse from Fantastical
Another powerhorse, XYplorer lifetime (once buy it at -50%) ... less than Fantastical on MacOS-platform.
Changelog (oh yes, only this changelog go already back to 2004... without 1 fee/cent extra!) These are powerhorses (on Windows).
Now for a calendar-app, without the requested extra's -at least by most users ... see store ratings/reactions - $40/year??
Hahaha Flexibits... really? Shame to your deepest fibers. Check out and compare the above changelogs with your 'work' in the past ...5 years? (!!!)
Changelog
And Total Commander is a very different workhorse from Fantastical
Another powerhorse, XYplorer lifetime (once buy it at -50%) ... less than Fantastical on MacOS-platform.
Changelog (oh yes, only this changelog go already back to 2004... without 1 fee/cent extra!) These are powerhorses (on Windows).
Now for a calendar-app, without the requested extra's -at least by most users ... see store ratings/reactions - $40/year??
Hahaha Flexibits... really? Shame to your deepest fibers. Check out and compare the above changelogs with your 'work' in the past ...5 years? (!!!)
To your first point - They have all my calendar data, with names/contact info of people on those invites, dates, times, locations of said appointments/meetings. In addition to that, they have my name, email and credit card info if I signed up for their subscription model. So yes, short of them having access to my SSN and Bank Account number, they have basically all the data that is important to me, that they have no need for.
To your second point - I damned them for their actions long before zoom, but that just furthers adds fuel to the proverbial fire. Both companies claim end-to-end encryption. Zoom “redefined“ what that means to them. Do you know that Flexibits isn’t doing the same? Why should I trust them? They’ve already proven they can mismanage a launch, mismanage customer feedback and response. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt that they won’t mismanage my data and it’s security?
To your third point - It was not a requirement to use the watch with V2. I didn’t ask for this “feature”, nor do I want it. They forced this upgrade over my paid version. Then shut off access to my watch, unless I agree to send my data to their servers? That’s not giving me all the functionality I had before. Why not make it a switch in the setting. Don’t want to set up an account? Sync data to watch over bluetooth switch. Done.
To your fourth point - That’s the issue. No one really knows what they are doing with it. They create meeting proposals on their end, and then marry that to my data (somehow). How anyone ISN’T questioning how that’s done if my data encrypted from my phone through there servers to my watch, is beyond me.
I get that everyone has a choice if they want to use it or not. But when they take away my paid version from me, and handicap the version they replace it with unless I pay them more money, or provide them my data, that’s borderline extortion.
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I switched to this too after Flexibits decided to overwrite my paid version 2 without my consent. I’ve even chatted with the developer of Calendar 366 on a bug I was having (Turns out it was my phone with the issue, not his app). Does everything that Fantastical 2 did for me, similar look and feel too. And I don’t have to create an account and send my data to who knows where and for who knows what either. Gladly paid for the full version of this after running the trial version for a few days.
1. When I subscribed it was through Apple. Flexibits have none of my payment info. Signed in with Apple using a randomized email address. Flexibits don't even have my email address.
2. That's on you, not them. You've zero proof of then doing anything wrong with the data, but have by your own admission now tarred then with the same brush as Zoom, simply because you dislike their new model.
3. Apple are pushing for independent Apple watch apps now they no longer require a corresponding phone app. Hence this new method of synchronization.
4. Your personal doubt means nothing here and, like point 2. above, that's your personal issue.
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