How can a customer get access to an older app release? - ios

I've got a report from a customer saying the latest update to our app isn't working on his iPad 1. Since I don't have an iPad 1 to test on I don't have any way of fixing this, but he says the previous version worked fine. He spoke to Apple and they say he needs a "special code" from us to download the older app.
Does anyone know what this special code or voucher is and how I go about sending him one?

I don't think this special code exists. I suppose what he means is allowing downloads of older app versions.
So let's say you wanted to download an app that requires iOS 7, but an older version only required iOS 6, which is what you have. The App Store will let you know that the latest version is not compatible, but will then download the older version that was still compatible with the older iOS. The latest version that is still compatible will be downloaded.

I asked this question on the Apple Developer Forums as well:
https://devforums.apple.com/message/965324#965324
You can't "delete" the current version. You would have to submit a new version and then go into the previous version list and disable the former version.
Okay, but would this enable iOS5 users to downgrade to the previous release that worked for them?
No. The user would have to delete the app from their device then download the latest compatible version to their devices.

Related

Releasing iOS apps built with an older SDK version

My App Store question doesn’t seem to be answered clearly in the official guidelines document so here you go.
My app is developed for iOS8, its deployment target is 8.1. We would like to have it reviewed around next week.
Now there is the iOS9 version coming up. Will I be able to upload our binary to itunesconnect without any change? Will we have to compile with a newer SDK to pass the review process? Will I need to install a new version of Xcode do be able to upload a binary?
We would like to submit the app as is, without touching anything. (same situation as if it had been release 3 weeks ago) Is that possible? Thanks
Will I be able to upload our binary to itunesconnect without any change?
Yes. Apple will not require that you build your app against the latest SDK. Will you have problems with folks running iOS 9? Maybe?
Will we have to compile with a newer SDK to pass the review process?
No.
Will I need to install a new version of Xcode do be able to upload a binary?
No.
We would like to submit the app as is, without touching anything. (same situation as if it had been release 3 weeks ago) Is that possible?
Yes.
Also, here's a great post about the difference between the Base SDK and the Deployment Target settings: What's the meaning of Base SDK, iOS deployment target, Target, and Project in xcode

Is it possible to update old xcode code to the latest xcode?

So my developer developed my app in xcode 5 and i have the latest xcode version. When i tested the app on my version, a lot of features stopped working. My developer told me that it could be the different xcode versions between us. I was wondering if it is possible to fix this without changing the SDK or xcode version.
If it comes to me changing the xcode version, will i not be able to add apple's latest features to my app?
Also, when i add an SDK into the SDK folder, do i have to replace it with the current one or do i just leave both in there together?
BTW i don't know anything about programming, so i only speak noobish.
Thanks!
When parts of an application stop working after the version of Xcode is updated, the reason is almost always a change in the SDK since newer versions Xcode contain newer versions of the SDK. Additionally, stuff from older SDKs often gets deprecated and is eventually removed.
However, you should be aware that Xcode 5 is very dated nowadays and should not (and cannot) be used for developing applications for iOS 8. As a rule, when a new version of Xcode comes out, all existing code should be updated to the current version of the SDK and developers should upgrade to the latest version because it prevents issues like the ones you are describing.
You need to upgrade the code as per the latest iOS version. All the deprecated methods need to be replaced with the new ones. Also the codes that once worked with previous versions of iOS may be or may not be working with the latest version of iOS i.e iOS 8. So an upgrade to the code will be required.

AppStore App Submission

I have made an app for iOS that supported iOS 5 and above.
Later I added an update that supported iOS 6.1 and above (which is now live). Thus people with iOS versions 5.x.x and 6.0 could download the first version and those with 6.1 and above could download the second version. I accidentally uploaded a new version (third one) with support for iOS 5 and above.
And now all users are getting the third version of the app in their updates. This update is not working for iOS 5.x.x and iOS 6.0 users. I cannot rollback the update. Uploading a new version with minimum iOS 6.1 and above will not help as the iOS 5 users will continue to receive the 3rd version as the latest update.
Our new technology does not support iOS 5.x users. Hence I can't update for them. The first version used to work. What do I do? I asked Apple but they did not provide any method or idea.
I want my users using iOS 6 and below to get the first version and others to get the latest one. Please suggest.
you should resubmit the first version.
then you should make an other update to users having 6.1+
This is the only solution to your problem.
You can't have any other solution.
But you can also make a version that make a test on ios version to open/close the wanted feature.

iOS how to upgrade the last compatible version

Apple offers the user the option to download an older version of the app that is compatible with the device. if device OS is not compatible with latest version of application. Apple is now displaying a message that allows users to download the "last compatible version" of an app. like below
It is a potential problem for developers if Apple starts re-distributing old versions of apps that their creators thought were safely dead and gone from the App Store. Now that older versions of apps are apparently getting resurrected, so how developer can manager last compatible version of application
(1) How developer can upgrade the last compatible version of application. should he can manage the 2 code base. one is for old OS and second for new OS ? is there any way to submit different binaries to the App Store.
(2) if there is any severe issue with last compatible version of application : how to remove it or upgrade it ?
(3) is there any way to specify that whether old versions of an app are viable.
I think developers should be able to submit different versions for different iterations of iOS so they can ensure the old versions of their app receive what functionality updates they can.
Link
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/09/apple-resurrects-old-app-versions-to-run-on-old-ios-hardware/
You can't upgrade the old versions, but you can remove them so that users can only download your latest one, or nothing. See this answer.
you can disable the availability of previous versions in itunes connect under Rights and Pricing. sadly there is no way to update previous versions.

Installing older version of Apple apps

I have two versions of my app in the AppStore.
Version 1 and Version 1.1
Version 1 is a iPad-only app supporting only iOS 6 and up.
Version 1.1 is a universal app supporting iOS 5 thru 7.
I have a user that REALLY want's to use version 1 of the app (for specific reasons), can he now download that version instead of the latest release?
I know Apple claims to allow the download of older versions, but I have a stinky feeling that Apple also applies their own conditional logic to this feature: i.e. Only allow the download of an older version if the newer version is not supported by the user's current iOS.
I hope I'm wrong, but on my iPad there is no option to download version 1 in the AppStore.
PS. My itunesconnect setup is correct as follows:
image http://imageshack.com/scaled/medium/818/u635.png
No Apple will only offer to download an older version of your app if the new is not longer supporting the user iOS version.
Lest say user 1 is on iOS 5 and can upgrade, you new version is only available on 6 and 7. Them the user will be prompted with the option to download the previous version.
Users cannot choose the version to download themselves.

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