Filed under: iPod Family, Developer, iPhone, App Store, SDK
Data loss from App Store updates
When Apple first announced that third-party applications would be coming to the iPhone, they also announced an update mechanism in the App Store. On the surface, this ability to update applications (mostly for free) is a nice feature, however, when you learn that Apple didn't include a means for developers to save the data files created by their apps, you tend to start rethinking "nice feature."I first noticed this when I updated Enigmo and lost all of my saved games. In addition, I just updated Facebook and lost my login information. Apple should have provided a way for applications to save information like this for retrieval after an update.
Have you encountered data loss in after updating your iPhone's third-party applications? Be sure to sound off in the comments.
Update: Judging from the comments to this entry this appears to happen on a case by case basis: sometimes updating an app will overwrite your data, other times it won't. Sure sounds like a bug to us! Though the question is: whose bug is it: Apple's or the 3rd party app dev's?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
O.G. Mac User said 9:07AM on 7-25-2008
ATTN: recent switcheurs!
If you don't know what Cmd-Shift-1 and Cmd-Shift-2 are for, GTFO.
If you think Firefox is a decent Mac application, GTFO.
If you're still looking for the "maximize" button, GTFO.
If the name "Clarus" means nothing to you, GTFO.
Bandwagon jumpers are not welcome among real Mac users. Keep your filthy PC fingers to yourself.
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Lee said 9:23AM on 7-25-2008
What a bitter, bitter tool
Fished said 11:13AM on 7-25-2008
1. Firefox is an excellent application, whether on Mac or PC. Don't be so stupid to think that Safari's the only browser worthy of looking at!
2. A maximize button would be nice, believe it or not.
3. I'm a recent "switcheur"... and there's good and bad for either platform... so don't pretend that looking at the best and worst that each has to offer isn't useful, you ignorant buffoon!
Ethan said 1:36PM on 7-25-2008
I'm a recent switcher who never used the maximize button on Windows, because It was better for my workflow to see several windows at once. However, apps such as QuickTime and iphoto do essentially the same thing with their fullscreen mode. Sometimes you do want a singular focus.
I don't see how it harms you. I suppose you do.
Pete said 9:09AM on 7-25-2008
I was bummed to see my Enigmo stats get erased as well.
If they are going to erase data on updates, I do wish the App Store would give you the option to "Skip This Update" so you could get rid of the little red circle.
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Denny Deaton said 9:10AM on 7-25-2008
I just got my iPhone two days ago (FINALLY!) and had something similar happen to me last night when I updated an app. I assumed it was just a glitch or something related to that specific app. Its disheartening to hear that this is App Store-wide. Not very Apple-like for sure. I hope this is fixed in a future update, but sooner than later.
Another issue have found with apps is that they don't continue to run once you go back to the home screen. Its hard to detect if this is the case with all my apps but I just downloaded Tuner (which I love!) and I'd love to be able to stream a station and then go surf the web. Not possible. I don't know if this is a limitation of the SDK or something the developer decided to do.
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ChrisM said 9:24AM on 7-25-2008
I updated Enigmo, Pandora, and Last FM, and all of them kept my settings.... This must be a bug, not a feature, since it works for some and not for others.
Just Bob said 9:30AM on 7-25-2008
Apps are not allowed to run in the background according to the SDK. You can put the iPhone in sleep mode (top button) and the apps like radio will still play
punkassjim said 11:49AM on 7-25-2008
This is a pretty widely publicized (and unanimously hated) limitation of the SDK. However, trust me, you wouldn't like your iPhone with those apps running in the background.
In addition to the problem with settings getting overwritten by updates, I've had a related problem: Even though I have an app on my phone (NetNewsWire or Last.fm for example), and I KNOW there is an update to each in the AppStore, when I go into the Updates panel, it shows nothing. When I go to the app's info page, it gives me the option to buy/install it (it shouldn't, if I've currently got it on my phone), and when I choose to do so, I'm taken to the Springboard and up pops this message:
http://homepage.mac.com/theoptimist/pics/weird-update.jpg
Leced said 9:14AM on 7-25-2008
yep, the Brain Challenge app disappeared from my iPod, appeared again on next sync, but all the game data were gone.
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p said 9:14AM on 7-25-2008
i was slightly irked that the icon's position gets moved after update ... but this is much worse. luckily the only apps i've really been using are cowbell and light saber.
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Leo M. said 9:24AM on 7-25-2008
BEST TWO APPS EVER!
XIV said 9:18AM on 7-25-2008
Well you scared me, but I just opened up Enigmo and I still have my saved game.
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Perceval McElhearn said 9:21AM on 7-25-2008
I don't know about data loss (no updates to Trism or Super Monkey Ball), but when I update an app in iTunes, it downloads the new file, but doesn't replace the original, so now I have Facebook.ipa, Facebook 1.ipa... in the Mobile Applications folder. Also, when I Command-I on an app that has been updated to 1.1 (or whatever version) in iTunes, it still shows as 1.0. Even more annoying is the fact that the App Store on the iPhone/iPod touch also has problems: iTunes showed that I had two updates, so I updated, resynced, but now the App Store on the device says that I have 2 new updates...
And I don't even want to try downloading directly on the device because then it has problems syncing to iTunes.
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Dan said 9:25AM on 7-25-2008
This may not be an Apple issue. I downloaded Scrabble and it maintains high scores and preferences through an update and even through a removal and reinstall.
Josh said 12:32PM on 7-25-2008
I think what you're seeing is a false update notification (iTunes thinks there's a new version and downloads it, even though it's the same). I've seen updated version numbers in Get Info through iTunes, and I've seen many "updates" that are still just 1.0 (corroborated by a lack of update description on the store home page).
Marcello Ciaramitaro said 9:22AM on 7-25-2008
Yup. When I updated Tuner I had to re-search and bookmark all my favorite stations; many of which have to be typed in. This is a large omission on Apple's part.
I can't imagine losing all the data files for an app that actually plays an important business role, I would be BS!
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Michael C said 9:32AM on 7-25-2008
While this is annoying and shouldn't necessarily be required for developers to counteract, developers with features such as Pandora could simply keep track of user's saved preferences and sync them when the program launches. Since apps like Pandora require some sort of connection to begin with, this doesn't seem too ill-conceived, albeit a feature that shouldn't be necessary to begin with.
Guillermo said 9:25AM on 7-25-2008
Weird, I updated Enigmo on my iPod and I still have my saved games.
Cory and Pete, did you guys update directly from the iPhone or through iTunes?
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Abrecus said 9:26AM on 7-25-2008
I just updated the Pandora app and it remembered all of the settings and account information. I am not sure this is an App Store wide issue. It looks like it is something the developers have to figure out.
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