Q: Ipad2 app store can't download apps - get error 'item is being modified, try again later', but daughter IS able to download it just fine!

@Kalsta - just curious if you're trying to purchase the discounted "(Full)" version of Glowfish, or if you're trying to purchase in-app full-game unlock in the free version.  The in-app unlock is @ $0.99 as well, I actually purchased it myself earlier this AM. 

Oddly enough - since I gifted myself the discounted How To Cook Everything, I haven't seen the "being modified" error again.  I've tried downloading random on-sale-for-free apps just to see if I'd get it again, but - so far - everything has worked just fine.  Of course, that's likely complete coincidence and I've probably just jinxed my luck by mentioning it.  But, thought it was worth noting since its been a few days now.

@theSnark

I always hate to dash optimism, but it probably is just a big coincidence.  In the two weeks that this has been happening to me, there were two days (or more likely partial days, because I did sleep) where I was able to download without incident.  I even wrote the tech I was working with when the first one happened and told him I thought the problem was fixed.  Sure enough when I got up again the next morning I was back to not being able to download stuff.

@Rusty - no, you're quite right... I was hesitant to mention it at all; I'd hate for anyone to spend money unnecessarily because of something I said. 

I'm definitely NOT saying its a fix, or that anyone should try it just to see if it's a fix.  Just to make that clear.  :)

The error's been somewhat random/inconsistent for me as well.  Not-seeing the error didn't even stand out as odd/noteworthy to me until a couple days had gone by.  I was sure enough that I'd just end up looking silly that I didn't come back to the thread just to make a post about it.

But since I was posting anyway... Figured I'd see if either anyone else has noticed this (which I'm not expecting tbh), or the exact opposite - has gifted themselves an app and is still getting the error (in which case I can stop holding my breath every time I go to download an app ;)).

@theSnark

I have not personally attempted it, but I know a couple of people that have gifted themselves apps and they still run into the error when trying to donwload other free Apps.

This is just crazy! Ive missed so good apps for free! Two weeks of this stupid error just piecing me off!!! I dont take care of apps sales any more i cant just download the stupid apps!!! Today this story has gone further i couldnt buy the game for 1$ instead of 7$. I thought this error was just for free forsome time apps but no i was wrong!

Saying im very dissapointed means saying nothing

Apple,

People are starting to take notice:

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2012/02/this-item-is-currently-being-modified-and-the -app-stores-growing-pains

It actually seems like it's not as bad as the first weekend - someone obviously made changes to my account after complaining long enough, or they fixed the server I was downloading from, I don't know.

I actually received a reply from a "Senior Advisor," Eddie, after forwarding the link to this thread on to support. His statement was:

"I did want to let you know that we have received severe reports of this and that we are currently looking into this behavior.  We have received word from our engineering team that this issue should now be resolve, but I wanted to check back with you and verify if this behavior was still causing difficulty utilizing the iTunes Store."

I haven't been downloading much lately, I gorged a couple of weeks ago and now I have quite the backlog. I did have the exact error come up once, and clear out within an hour so I could buy it, and have no seen it since. This was after once using the gifting trick to buy an app previously. Unfortunately, I see that quite a few other people still have the error, so it's not fixed across the board.

tgroman wrote:

 

@Kalsta

 

Have you tried the gifting workaround?

 

Earlier in this thread, it was reported that you can purchase problem discounted apps by gifting the app.  On the app's details view, click gift in the upper right hand corner, signin, and purchase for an alternate email address (not the email address associated to the account you're using to purchase gift).

 

Hope this helps...

Thanks mate… I took note of the gifting workaround, but didn't try it. At first it was because my store credit became unusable (probably an unrelated bug with the iTunes store). Then when it came back, I started the gifting process but then noticed that it forces you to use your credit card anyway (as RustySabre observed), and I didn't want to do that for a number of reasons: we only ever buy iTunes cards when they're discounted, having to reconcile little transactions on the CC statement becomes annoying, etc.

theSnark wrote:

 

@Kalsta - just curious if you're trying to purchase the discounted "(Full)" version of Glowfish, or if you're trying to purchase in-app full-game unlock in the free version.  The in-app unlock is @ $0.99 as well, I actually purchased it myself earlier this AM. 

 

Ah… I didn't realise that the in-app unlock was discounted too! Thanks for that. I'll give that a try when I'm back home!

foxyshadis wrote:

 

I actually received a reply from a "Senior Advisor," Eddie, after forwarding the link to this thread on to support. His statement was:

 

"I did want to let you know that we have received severe reports of this and that we are currently looking into this behavior.  We have received word from our engineering team that this issue should now be resolve, but I wanted to check back with you and verify if this behavior was still causing difficulty utilizing the iTunes Store."

I wonder if he meant to say several rather than 'severe'? Anyway, at least you got an honest and helpful reply! That's how support should be done. Apple, give that Eddie guy a raise!

@foxyshadis - Unfortunately, the problem definitely isn't solved.  I've had the issue on at least two different games today, and that was after downloading quite a few.

I have this issue with about 8 apps right now, though one previously problematic app, "Logic Square", has finally worked. 

Here's a current list of one's that do not work for me:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-king-kong/id489128378?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/basic-english/id409319964?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/basic-german/id409317764?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/basic-spanish/id409298214?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/caricature-maker-pro/id454930463?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dot/id328071814?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dot3/id351656375?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/move-the-box/id491113310?mt=8

And one is no longer free, so it failed through the one or two day sale period:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glow-burst/id364904099?mt=8

So no, Apple engineers: this problem is not even close to being fixed.

Hello, I am a developer. We have one app on the app store. It is $0.99 and it hasn't been on sale nor has anything been modified as of late. I got an email from iTunes Connect on Feb. 8 saying there would be a scheduled maintenance on Feb. 15. Coincidentally, our download numbers did a nose dive beginning Feb. 8 and totally flatlined on Feb. 15. I do not currently know what the problem is, but I hope Apple gets it fixed. We are losing money, as are they.

As of now, everything on my list above downloads fine, and I have had no new occurrences of the problem so far today.  I hope this means what I hope it means.  (My apologies for the gratuitous tautology in a normally family-friendly setting.)

I still regret that I missed many good apps when they were on sale (e.g., http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/natural-science-for-kids-city/id498723298?mt=8 looked cool), but if the problem is solved, that's what matters.

Or are others still having it?

@Labyrintho - It's so hard to tell.  I had racked up a list of 5 or 6 games over the last couple of days, and suddenly around 3:00 pm EST today they all downloaded.  I'm not keeping my fingers crossed, though.  My guess is it was just a lucky fluctuation and things will return to annoying by morning.