Where did Box Office go? Gone from App store

[Dimwhit]

Still on my phone, still works. And I had to do a fresh wipe and install on my phone last night, so if it was going to delete itself, I would think it would have then.

I can't believe that once you have an app deleted, Apple can go and delete it off your computer/phone. If that's true, that is seriously messed up.

 

[iboost79]

Does anyone who has synced since yesterday still have a working copy?

I read this thread and now I'm afraid to sync, because I don't want to lose the working copy I have, which is silly, I guess. But I really like the features of this app, especially the combo of rotten tomatoes + Metafilter, and the available previews.

Sync'd this morning and have a working copy of BoxOffice.

 

[FSUSem1noles]

I synced this morning as well and I still have it as well...

 

[QCassidy352]

i still have it, but it crashes in under 15 sec every time i try to use it (used to work fine). frustrating...

 

[Metasyntactic]

i still have it, but it crashes in under 15 sec every time i try to use it (used to work fine). frustrating...

Sounds like you're on 1.1. There's crash in the update code. I let apple know and i worked around it in 1.2.

However, i'm not sure you can even get 1.2 since BoxOffice was pulled from the appstore!

Apple provides no way to beta test applications (or try out hte upgrade experience), so i had no idea there was a problem until the update actually launched.

 

[dranakin]

Is there anywhere else you can host the application?

 

[Metasyntactic]

Is there anywhere else you can host the application?

The app is hosted at metasyntactic.googlecode.com

However, you'll only be able to install it if you've signed up for the Apple developer program. You'll then have to compile and install it yourself.

Distribution isn't possible outside of the appstore due to how apple has locked down the apps and the phones

 

[dranakin]

Ah, right. Didn't even think about that. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully Box Office will come back!

 

[SSM]

I synced last night, and the app is still on my iPhone, but it doesn't work.

 

[Metasyntactic]

I synced last night, and the app is still on my iPhone, but it doesn't work.

What do you mean "doesn't work".

I'm also surprised by the number of people on the internet who talk about things not working, but who don't attempt to contact the developer through the support links in iTunes.

I actively go out looking to see if people have issues. But it's very hard to find all the sites/blogs out there. If people would actually just email me, that would make things *much* easier.

 

[SSM]

"Doesn't work" as in immediately crashes upon opening and returns to the home screen.

I have indeed contacted the developer - apparently I am still running an earlier version (1.0) that had an issue. The odd thing is that I have been checking for updates through iTunes on a nightly basis, and an update for BoxOffice never appeared.

 

[Metasyntactic]

"Doesn't work" as in immediately crashes upon opening and returns to the home screen.

I have indeed contacted the developer - apparently I am still running an earlier version (1.0) that had an issue. The odd thing is that I have been checking for updates through iTunes on a nightly basis, and an update for BoxOffice never appeared.

I am the developer
(and i did get your email).

The AppStore has had numerous problems. People not receiving updates. I've had my app go in and out of 'being reviewed' numerous times (with one time taking 23 days).

Apple is having some serious problems here that they need to address asap.

 

[MBHockey]

I hope you hear something back from Apple...BoxOffice is my favorite freeware app. I love how it can auto-locate you and you can instantly see the RottenTomatoes score for each movie (that's my favorite review site!). It's just a lot more polished than all the other movie apps.

I have 1.2 installed and it still works wonderfully. Thank you!

 

[Kris B..]

Showtimes

did it come back named as showtimes or something like that or is that a completely different app?

 

[dranakin]

I notice your website now lists it as 'Now Playing' app, but I can't find this app either.

 

[lordhamster]

Where do you get your movie times data from? Could it be perhaps that the provider (Fandango?) may have complained to Apple?

 

[ghall]

GAH! I've been using Showtimes, and it sucks IMO. I never heard of BoxOffice until now. Figures, it sounds like a great app.

I hope it comes back soon.

 

[skye12]

Why did Apple remove it? Any official response?

 

[QCassidy352]

Sounds like you're on 1.1. There's crash in the update code. I let apple know and i worked around it in 1.2.

However, i'm not sure you can even get 1.2 since BoxOffice was pulled from the appstore!

ah, well, that explains it. Too bad, because you're right - there's no way to get 1.2 as of now. So I'm stuck using the "Movies" app which is not nearly as fast and simple to use.

Any word from apple?

 

[jliverse]

For the conspiracy theorists to think about:
http://www.wireless.att.com/source/connect/medianet.aspx

 

[Metasyntactic]

Where do you get your movie times data from? Could it be perhaps that the provider (Fandango?) may have complained to Apple?

Considering that i'm in talks with fandango right now, and they're *thrilled* with my app... it's kinda unlikely. However, i've asked them to check and see if it's possible that someone in their org might have done this.

 

[mackworth]

Could it have to do with your app source being available, thus possibly breaking your NDA?

I was under the impression that developers were not allowed to have their source publicly available, thus conflicting with the GPL. I think this is one of the reasons that adium has not committed to an iphone app.

 

[Viremia]

Metasyntactic, I would just like to take the time to briefly tell you, THANK YOU!

I'm still on 1.0 (it never indicated there was an update, despite app store updating a bunch of other apps) and I don't have any problems. It crashed to the main screen once, maybe. However, I use this app a lot and absolutely love it. Looking at the shots of 1.2 on the ars forum thread, I'm jealous I don't have some of those features, but I'm happy with what I have now.

Thanks again for all the hard work and I hope Box Office/Now Playing is back on the app store soon.

 

[pooryou]

I heard it was pulled because of the name needing to be changed, I guess that wasn't true?

 

[Mac In School]

Metasyntactic,

I realize you want to be contacted by Email, but if you could post your updates here, that would be great. It would help a lot of people who are interested in your app.