Can't download free or purchased apps from app store on IOS 3

I haven't found a solution, but you can still download apps to your computer and then transfer them to your iPhone. This isn't a very good solution, naturally, but it works for now.

I hope someone can find a solution to this problem (I have it too).

This is my thrwad, to anyone who's interested:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3576489?answerId=17026376022#17026376022

We both have the same exact problem, and it indeed started yesterday. I wonder if Apple's trying to flush out its older users.

The issues seem to have started about a month ago. The icons in the appstore were square and weird. Then we were unable to update any app individually, only update all. Now, we can't even install new apps. Also, the screenshot don't show up, gift this app wont work, and you can't see the reviews. We paid for our iphones, even though apple probably wants us to buy new ones, that doesnt mean that they should bar the appstore from old devices. Not everyone can afford new devices, and many have new iphones but still want to use their old ones as a secondary device.

What apple probably did is changed the html/javascript in the appstore and used html not supported by ios3, breaking compatability.

Now that I think of it, I did notice strange things happening like that over time. I'd stuggle to get the download button to work, or certain downloads wouldn't work. You really think that as of yesterday it was Apple that did this? There's no solution then? How terrible! I can still download apps via the computer but this is preposterous.

Has the basic troubleshooting of reset, restart, restore been tried?

Is it possible that the apps that are being selected require iOS4 or higher? Maybe even iOS5 or higher?

It is for all apps, everything. You cant view reviews. You cant see the screenshots. You can't update apps. You can't download apps. You cant "tell a friend". You can't see top in app purchaces. The app store is crippled. Please apple, fix this! I have tried on two ios3 devices.

Here is an example of the screenshots, the app is tiny tower:

This is NOT a device problem, it is an appstore with ios3 problem.

ben1234567 wrote:

This is NOT a device problem, it is an appstore with ios3 problem.

Really? If it were, I would expect to see more than 5 users in 2 threads reporting problems.

Again, has basic troubleshooting of reset, restart, restore been tried?

Does it make a difference if the device is connected via Wi-Fi or Cellular data?

Has Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings been tried?

Yes, I have tried hard resets, reboots, etc..no successful. Again, this is on two devices. And there are plenty of topics, several on the apple support forums: https://www.google.com/search?q=can%27t+download+apps+ios3&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq= t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&client=fi refox-a&hs=2ao&tbo=1&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&biw=1280&bih=563&tbs=qdr:d &source=hp&q=can%27t+download+apps+iphone&pbx=1&oq=can%27t+dow&aq=0p&aqi=p-p1g3& aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=0l0l3l208l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0&tbo=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r _cp.,cf.osb&fp=3d768aa3d3c3c909

Yes, I have the same problem. First of all, I though it was software problem and I reboot, restore two times. It remains the same. After wasting half day, I gave up and come here to find solution. Please apple fix it.

I just tried calling the Apple support. There's 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

The only thing I could get out of the support guy was to upgrade the OS. When asked directly if he's avoiding the question of whether this will be fixed or not, he basically said he can't speak to that, but that I have to upgrade my phone. Wouldn't address whether this is a known problem at the support center or anything.

He suggested that if I don't have a machine from which to run the update (there's no Linux version of iTunes, and it's just not workable at this time) that I take it to an Apple store and they'll upgrade it there for free.

An apple store. Less than a week before Christmas. I don't think so.

I'm up for a new phone with my carrier, and was going to go for the new 4S, but now, I'm rethinking that.

This looks like Apple flushing out older IOS users like the original iPhone and iPhone 3g. I had the same issue on the original iPhone and IOS 3. The Appstore doesn't work for me anymore. I can't download any apps at all. I have the new iPhone 4s and it works perfectly. The problem with the upgrade advice is that IOS 4x is not compatible with the original iphones. There must be some sort of database feature set that the old IOS doesn't have.

It's utterly disrespectful, but unfortunately characteristic of Apple to do something like this. I was going to wait until the successor of the iPhone 4S to be released before buying a new phone; if I were to get the free iPhone 3GS I'd waste my upgrade.

But we don't know if apple intentially did this, or just didn't test it on 3.x.

I mean, apple still allows apps that support 3.x into the appstore (although apps are dropping support fast).

It would have been very simple for Apple to incorporate a filter into the app store that detected the ios version you were running and show apps that are approriate. They could keep a set of apps that were compatible with ios 3 for that purpose even if those apps are moving on to later ios revisions. I think this is going to raise it's ugly head with the 3gs later on. There are people who bought or got this device new recently and will not be happy if it's suddenly phased out in favour of a later ios 5x or siri exclusive feature... One to watch...

The apps themselves are compatible though! THAT'S the problem. It's only natuyral for software to require newer Operating Systems over time, but in this case, even the compatible applications are not downloadable. This is a cruel business tactic. In this case, I'm not getting a 3GS.

I agree with you. The appstore functionality is at fault. None of the buttons work now. It's telling me I have 18 upgrades and when I go to upgrade it doesn't work. The suggestion that they filter the apps for ios 3 is just something they could do to keep it functioning if they wanted to. The fact that they changed the core fuctionality of the appstore without informing the public is lousy business sense.