Old App Store Apps, what's happens?

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Level 1

31 points

Old App Store Apps, what's happens?

ook I have old apps in the App Store and I tried to download a few of them. They keep crashing when I try to open them. I even tried to view the info about the app but nothing comes up.

so what happens to these old apps? I want to recover a few and I can download them but can't use them. I even can't find them in the search option.

if they can no longer be played why does Apple keep them on there to be downloaded? If the can't be played on the new iOS why let me download them? You certainty can't download a app that's meant for the newer iOS.

SO what gives?

Some are totally gone as I've seen.

iPad 2, iOS 7.1.2

Posted on Aug 2, 2014 2:36 PM

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Answer 1

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 2, 2014 11:16 PM in response to The Peck

Most older apps will work on the current iOS version, I haven't had any problems with any of my old apps. Are there any recent reviews for those apps mentioning similar issues ?

Have you tried closing all apps via your iPad's taskbar and done a soft-reset of it to see if that makes any difference ? And/or copied your downloads over to your computer's iTunes library (File > Devices > Transfer Purchases), taken a backup (File > Devices > Back Up), and then restored to that backup ?

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Answer 2

The Peck Author

Level 1

31 points

Aug 15, 2014 5:41 AM in response to King_Penguin

I tried downloading via app store, not from iTunes just putting the same app software on. 2 different iPads and 2 different iPhones. Same similar action, opens then crashes.

The app store doesn't bring anything up for the app. I mean it doesn't load the app information.

It was a turn based multiplayer only game called "Cannonball" just throught about downloading it again to play with my gf when I'm out of town working. But the app is dead apparently and hasn't been removed from the app store. Although I can't find it in a search, just in my past purchases tab.

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Answer 3

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Aug 15, 2014 6:11 AM in response to The Peck

New iOS versions generally add new functionality to iOS, so it tends to be that apps developed with newer versions of iOS aren't compatible with older versions - but when new iOS versions are released developers are supposed to test their apps to ensure that they continue to work, and if necessary make any amendments. But apps only have a minimum iOS version specified in the store, not a maximum version, so if the developer hasn't made any necessary updates to make it compatible with iOS 7 then it won't work. Generally it's the app's developer that removes their app from the store, unless it's found to violate copyright or store's terms, or (I assume) if Apple get enough complaints about an app.

If you can find the app in the Purchased tab for redownloading then it should show in the main part of the store, and on its description page there should be a 'updated date' for when the app was last updated in the store (and there might be reviews) - iOS 7 was released in mid-September last year, theoretically any apps that weren't compatible with iOS 7 should have been updated around that date onwards.

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