Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iOS 10.3 Beta Says 32-Bit Legacy Apps Will Not Work With Future Versions of iOS

WilliamTM said:
That kinda sucks...I've got a really old game that I enjoy playing to pass the time but it's not been updated since the days of the iPhone 5. :(
Click to expand...
Sure it sucks a little but in the long run it is the right thing to do. In the end it means more storage space in foash and we avoid dual lbraries in RAM. That is goid for the user in the long run.

For Apple the good thing here is that they can focus develooer tools development on 64 bit and the latest processor features. The ARM 64 bit world is a huge step up in capability relative to anything happening in 32 bit land.

If any thing this ndicates that Apple can still do the right thing with its platforms.
 
KPOM said:
This is probably intentional. If an app isn't worth a recompile, it probably isn't worth staying on the app store.
Click to expand...
It is usually not just recompile, but way more work. Apple API change quickly and many functions are deprecated in every OS update.
 
WestonHarvey1 said:
This would have been a perfectly valid assumption to make on a PC based platform. You can always cobble together a legacy system to support your investment. This has been made difficult or impossible with iOS.

Lesson learned: Don't do this. Don't purchase any systems that require iOS apps to function unless you want it to become an expensive doorstop later.
Click to expand...

Or you understand from the start that nothing is forever on any OS or even any stand-alone system. This has nothing to do with iOS, it's just that Apple is doing some spring cleaning and throwing out all those wide lapel sport jackets and ties buried in the depths of it's App closet. But no OS guarantees compatibly tomorrow for an app you buy today. Not Apple, not Google, not Microsoft, not Samsung.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jimthing, the-oz-man, AppleB and 1 other person
d5aqoëp said:
To think of it from a DRM perspective, all those 32 bit apps you purchased... you will have no access to them because Apple axed 32 bit all together. That's DRM. Your purchases are not yours after all. You are at the mercy of the company who enforces the DRM.

Developers being lazy is not a valid reason. Not everyone has to be like Facebook to routinely update their app with junk lines of code and keep on bloating it till it explodes.

I will have to upgrade my 5 year old CCTV camera system which will cost me $1000 because their remote app is 32bit and very old. It may stop working in iOS 11.

Now I will lose $1000 because of DRM.
Click to expand...

That's not DRM. Consumers demand that the device and the OS advance. If they don't come up with new versions and technology, consumers will eventually go elsewhere. With the leading edge there is also a trailing edge. Writing a 64-bit OS that still supports 32-bit software is also bloatware. At some point, there's not much logic in expecting the OS to continue supporting third-party legacy apps that aren't even supported by those apps' creators themselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: doelcm82
jayducharme said:
This sucks for me. I have quite a few 32-bit apps that still work fine but that simply haven't been updated. The developers are either no longer around or have moved on to other things. But I paid for those apps. I've already lost a few due to obsolescence. I'll either have to re-think how I spend money on the App Store or just realize that I'll get only a couple of years out of the apps I buy.
Click to expand...

As annoying as it is, especially electronic life goes on at a very fast pace. We gave up using horses and drive cars now.

If you got over 2 years of use out of these apps divide the price you paid by 730 days (731 if a leap year) and check how much you got hurt by per day. The deduct what you used.

I use a lot of 32 bit games which also have resolution issues and while I bought them, it's okay to lose them, when the day comes. Some developers I bought apps from just totally disappeared.

$ 4.99 or so over 2 years is not the end of the world.
 
  • Like
Reactions: doelcm82
smacrumon said:
This warning... It's BAD DESIGN. I've seen it from time to time. Not sure exactly what Apple wants me to do with it though. Does it want me to contact the organization making the app and protest? It's borderline ridiculous! Apple knows which apps are old and going to be incompatible soon. Apple needs to contact the organization not contact the customer. iOS should continue to support old legacy apps. If the customer enjoys the app and it works for them, then why break it???
Click to expand...
​
Apple has already informed devs of this. Way back in October of 2014.

And they’ve even published a guide to help devs do it. It looks easy enough, and that’s coming from someone who only took a few computer programming classes back in college all the way back in the early 90s.​

I don’t necessarily agree with a lot of things Apple does, but this is one thing I’m totally on board with.

Don’t expect Apple to personally place a phone call to every single dev out there who needs to update their app. I would assume they’ve contacted them via e-mail, but I can’t know this for sure.

If there’s an app you really like, and if it’s from a worthy developers, I’m sure you can easily find their contact info on the app itself or on the app’s website. And if they have a Twitter account, even better. Just Tweet to them telling them to get off their lazy asses and update their apps. If the developer can’t be bothered to make the changes to update their app to 64-bit almost 3 years after iOS went 64-bit, why should they be allowed to keep their apps on the App Store?

PS: The vast majority of us have invested in the newer iPhones. If we’ve paid for a (or, in many cases, more than one) iPhone/iDevice with a 64-bit architecture, why shouldn’t the apps we use fully take advantage of them? How many of you actually use an iPhone 5 or older as your daily driver?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jimthing and MikhailT
jayducharme said:
This sucks for me. I have quite a few 32-bit apps that still work fine but that simply haven't been updated. The developers are either no longer around or have moved on to other things. But I paid for those apps. I've already lost a few due to obsolescence. I'll either have to re-think how I spend money on the App Store or just realize that I'll get only a couple of years out of the apps I buy.
Click to expand...

They won't be deleted from your phone. You'll just have to back up your phone in iTunes, which is a pain.
 
Cougarcat said:
Heh, AppShopper (in the screenshot) is the only one I use. Hoping it gets updated.

If you open it, you'll get a dialog saying it's 32-bit.
Click to expand...

You do know the only reason it's not been updated is that any update that retains it's functionality can't be released, due to changes in app store regs, right? Not sure if post was serious or not.
 
CarlosQG said:
Perhaps iOS 11 will be rewritten with Swift and 64-bit-only?
Click to expand...
Eventually we will get there but i dont see Apple rushing to Siftfy large parts of IOS. Mainly because there is much that is stable. That and Swift really isnt stable yet. Like Mac OS Swift based components will come slowly.
 
A
smacrumon said:
This warning... It's BAD DESIGN. I've seen it from time to time. Not sure exactly what Apple wants me to do with it though. Does it want me to contact the organization making the app and protest? It's borderline ridiculous! Apple knows which apps are old and going to be incompatible soon. Apple needs to contact the organization not contact the customer. iOS should continue to support old legacy apps. If the customer enjoys the app and it works for them, then why break it???


appshopper_needs_updated-800x506.jpg
​
Click to expand...

Apple wants to make sure you do not call them or go to a genius bar and waste their time when the app stops working. There is nothing they can do!

It is a "friendly" announcement, which gives you the option to replace your apps (if they are replaceable) or change what you do.

Who says they didn't let the developers know, if they can even contact them? Not even Apple's responsibility.

The customer can still enjoy the old apps if it is that important:

a) By not upgrading iOS
b) Keeping their old i-device just for those old apps

and

c) buy a new i - device to come into this century

Inconvenient = Wah!

Expecting electronics and their system software to last forever for every device and app ever made is unrealistic.

Hope people aren't crying over a 99 cents fart app.
 
  • Like
Reactions: agsystems and Rafagon
Vashetti said:
Looking forward to seeing millions of 32-bit apps disappear from the store because the developers don't see it as worth the cost to update
Click to expand...
That's a bit narrow-minded and shortsighted.

I don't know why you feel offended that there are 32-bit apps in the app store. Apps that haven't been updated in a while don't generally appear at the top of lists. There are some good 32-bit apps out there that haven't been updated and continue to work. Of course Apple will claim that his heavy-handed approach is in their customer's best interests. :confused:

There are apps out there that CAN'T be updated because Apple removed them from the App Store. Most notably, apps like iMame. Probably doesn't affect many people but for those will be affected, not good.
 
smacrumon said:
This warning... It's BAD DESIGN. I've seen it from time to time. Not sure exactly what Apple wants me to do with it though. Does it want me to contact the organization making the app and protest? It's borderline ridiculous! Apple knows which apps are old and going to be incompatible soon. Apple needs to contact the organization not contact the customer. iOS should continue to support old legacy apps. If the customer enjoys the app and it works for them, then why break it???


appshopper_needs_updated-800x506.jpg
​
Click to expand...

Not bad design at all. Apple has already contacted the app developers.

The purpose here is to notify the end-user that their app is reaching end-of-life if the developer doesn't update it. This way, it shouldn't be a surprise when the customer buys a new phone or updates their OS. Many will still grumble (watch macrumors for that...) but it's not like there hasn't been warning for it. The developers have been notified. The end-user has been notified twice, first that the app will slow down their device, and then this warning, that the app won't work in the future if it isn't updated.
 
I have a 32bit I HAVE TO USE because the newer vers went to subscription which is stupid expensive. more than original purchase price of app I bought. sorry apple, NOT ACCEPTABLE to kill off 32bit apps because you don't like them. I was user need what I need to work. I am not going to subscription apps if there is any possible choice not to... and I paid a lot for this app already. hands off my 32bit apps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nextuser and sracer
sracer said:
That's a bit narrow-minded and shortsighted.

I don't know why you feel offended that there are 32-bit apps in the app store. Apps that haven't been updated in a while don't generally appear at the top of lists. There are some good 32-bit apps out there that haven't been updated and continue to work. Of course Apple will claim that his heavy-handed approach is in their customer's best interests. :confused:

There are apps out there that CAN'T be updated because Apple removed them from the App Store. Most notably, apps like iMame. Probably doesn't affect many people but for those will be affected, not good.
Click to expand...

Right, but all iOS users are affected by the continued inclusion of legacy 32-bit bloat in the OS. It's not like there's no reason to do this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikhailT and Rafagon
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back