NS2 and all IAP sound packs are now FREE!
Hi all! I'm pleased to be able to announce that you can now download NanoStudio 2 and all IAP sound packs free of charge, no strings attached!
Why? Well, new EU laws require traders to register a contact address and telephone number which will be displayed in the app's Store page. For the level of income that NS2 provides, this isn't worth setting up in my opinion.
So rather than have the app disappear from the store I've instead made everything free so I can make a reasonable claim that I'm not 'trading'.
A word of warning: NS2 will be taken off the App Store in April (exact date TBD). It will still work after that time if you have it installed on your device, but if you delete it you may not be able to get it back if you don't have a backup. I believe there are desktop apps such as iMazing that can do such a backup - someone will work it out I'm sure.
Enjoy!
Comments
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So that is the definitive end. Really sad. 😔
Here is some detailed information on using iMazing to back up apps to a PC or Mac. Unfortunately, I don't think IAP content can be backed up or restored once the app is fully gone from the App Store. But the app itself can be backed up provided you do so before it's removed from the App Store.
https://forum.loopypro.com/discussion/comment/1363294/#Comment_1363294
And what if a person lacks a computer to back up NS2 with? I work exclusively with iOS/iPadOS, and NS2 is one of the most important apps in my toolkit (alongside others like Grand Finale 2 and such).
Unfortunately then you are stuck. The app will keep working on any devices you have it installed on, but you won't be able to install it on a new device. If it's critical to you then perhaps seeking out a friend who would let you back it up to their PC or Mac might be worth the effort.
This is assuming that the app is removed "completely" from the App Store. Removing it from sale and removing it completely are two different things. If it has only been removed from sale then it will still be able to be restored from your purchased items.
Apps can get "completely removed" when a developer closes their developer account, or if they explicitly take the app down.
Again though: the app and all IAPs should continue to work on devices you have it installed on already - unless a future iOS update breaks it. Also: IAP downloads are not backed up. Those will be unrecoverable if the app disappears completely.
Ah, okay. Well, the IAPs are not my main concern. Yes I purchased them, but haven't used any of them in a few years. It's the main app.
fwiw @Blip Interactive - I know of one other developer who declined to bow to the EU requirement.
They chose to keep their apps available everywhere else but the EU as sales in the EU were only about 25% of their total. I assume the other 75% was enough to make it worth keeping up with the yearly Apple developer account fee.
@Blip Interactive - I wonder if you could let us know if you'll be only removing the app from "sale" in the App Store, or if you'll be removing it altogether.
Apps merely removed from sale in the App Store can still be restored by existing owners from their Purchased Items. Apps completely removed, or where the developer account is discontinued, can only be recovered from an iMazing backup.
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How much do you want to sell it, so it can be maintained with newer ios releases?
If it has no value to you now, then a final one off payment to pass it on may be some solice.
If you want I can put it in my AppStore collection to sell it for you. If you want I also can help with maintaining it. It is such a musical tool!
Oh man, i really thought NS2 will get some useful update, so it works on Apple Silicon Macs correctly..
Sadly, it doesn't work on my M1 Macbook. Is it enough to just install the app on Mac and backup the app folder? I read that M2 might work good..
@Blip Interactive That phone number / address nonsense in EU is related only to paid apps - not to free apps .. so maybe just leave NS free in appstore and eventually add some patreon / paypal donation link into some notification in APP (or at least here at forum and at audiobus forum), so people can throw here and there at you at least few cents for keeping it live ... Or do one-time kickstarter campaign and set your goal which would allow you to keep it in EU store for free for next year .. and then create new campaingn for another year - so just keep customers to decide it they still want to have it alive in store.
I believe there is still enough people who would appreciate to have NS available even through active development basically ended.
Well, thats the end of music making for me... Been a good 15 year run. Nanostudio 1 and 2 have acompanied me all this way, but now I´m to old to start learning a new DAW again. Cheers Matt and every beautiful iOS music-maker I´ve met during this time ❤
Since the app is no longer his main source of income, then he can be classified as a "non trader" so there are less obligations in the EU. I hope Matt reconsiders, NanoStudio 2 is a jewel and I would be heart broken to see it go from the store. I'll try to make backups and all that, but this is really sad news.
There is also the yearly expense of an Apple Developer account that is needed to keep the app in the store. If the app isn't to make any money then that is a sunk cost for a developer.
Sunk cost for developer, but not for users, if everybody is really so upset, then put your stake where your mouth is, I will stake £1k right now in to the pot if Matt wants to sell to users on some kind of Blender type deal, I have always and still do maintain that NS2 could do some serious damage on the desktop too, it has some very small tweaks to put it on par with most of the high end DAWs available on desktop.
If he is willing I am sure we could raise him a nice pot to bow out with, and then maybe do bounties for added features, much like Amiga bounties used to work.
Does he even read the replies here though, or does somebody have more direct way to talk to him, to get him interested in this idea?