Loopy Pro: Create music, your way.

What is Loopy Pro? — Loopy Pro is a powerful, flexible, and intuitive live looper, sampler, clip launcher and DAW for iPhone and iPad. At its core, it allows you to record and layer sounds in real-time to create complex musical arrangements. But it doesn’t stop there—Loopy Pro offers advanced tools to customize your workflow, build dynamic performance setups, and create a seamless connection between instruments, effects, and external gear.

Use it for live looping, sequencing, arranging, mixing, and much more. Whether you're a live performer, a producer, or just experimenting with sound, Loopy Pro helps you take control of your creative process.

Download on the App Store

Loopy Pro is your all-in-one musical toolkit. Try it for free today.

Apple No longer Storing Data for New IAPs? - Moodunits Update

PoppadocrockPoppadocrock
edited January 31 in General App Discussion

Moodunits, a lovely app by Rob Jackson, had an update yesterday and in the details it said this…

I’m guessing developers will have to host any new IAPs or extra content that includes data on their own website ie AudioModern, or include everything and make any additional features a purchase to unlock content.

Since many IAPs, other than unlockable extras, or off App Store content, include data, this seems like it might change things, even a preset pack IAP is data.

It does say NEW DATA, is this specific to moodunits or across the board?

I’m wondering how this might affect developers, customers, and the future of iOS music development?

Im trying to wrap my head around this… I think I get it, but I do not know all the details. I’m not a developer, so maybe I’m missing something, but, This seems like, at least on the surface, like it will have broader implications on things to come…

I can understand Apple not wanting to host Gigs and Gigs of sampled file data, but to not provide any data storage to new IAPs seems like a move that might hinder innovation for music app developers.

«1

Comments

  • NeuMNeuM
    edited January 31

    I wonder what precipitated this move? Maybe the EU's demand for Apple to host other app stores? I guess it would make sense if that was the driver behind this reported change.

    Is this an EU only thing? Or an all countries thing?

    I found this:
    https://www.mactrast.com/2025/01/apple-announces-new-api-to-expand-in-app-purchase-capabilities-for-app-store/

  • uncledaveuncledave
    edited February 1

    I saw the following over 2 years ago, posted by the KV331 team (SynthMaster*), and logged it because it seemed significant. I guess it's slowly filtering out to other devs.

    11/20 2022. "Some time ago Apple changed their IAP content hosting policy, they do not host new IAPs on their servers anymore. Old IAPs are supposed to be not effected but it will be quite challanging to update the content."

    Edit: Here is the original post quoted above.

  • wimwim

    I bet this is why we're seeing more instances like with NS2 and SampleTank (or was it Syntronk?) where people are having problems restoring purchases for large content packs. Developers may not be setting up robust architecture for downloads, or in this case, decline to do so altogether.

  • reziduerezidue

    @wim said:
    I bet this is why we're seeing more instances like with NS2 and SampleTank (or was it Syntronk?) where people are having problems restoring purchases for large content packs. Developers may not be setting up robust architecture for downloads, or in this case, decline to do so altogether.

    This is what concerns me. If someone decides to stop maintaining their website or there are issues with cdn you could find yourself unable to install what you paid for. Much more likely compared to Apple hosting.

  • reziduerezidue

    Your comment made me check and I can’t get past ‘Installing Files’ in Syntronik.

  • wimwim
    edited January 31

    @rezidue said:
    Your comment made me check and I can’t get past ‘Installing Files’ in Syntronik.

    In NS2, the workaround is to install packs one by one rather than with Restore Purchases as though you are buying them (but ultimately aren't charged). See https://www.blipinteractive.co.uk/community/discussion/comment/13093/#Comment_13093

    Maybe something like that would work?

  • reziduerezidue

    I can’t get past the initial loading screen on the stand alone app. I’ll check what happens if I load auv3.

  • NeuMNeuM

    Seems to me Apple should be charging all developers some kind of fee, even for "free" apps which are hosted on Apple's servers. Apple absorbs considerable costs to host and distribute apps. This is going to result in total chaos for customers.

  • uncledaveuncledave

    @wim said:

    @rezidue said:
    Your comment made me check and I can’t get past ‘Installing Files’ in Syntronik.

    In NS2, the workaround is to install packs one by one rather than with Restore Purchases as though you are buying them (but ultimately aren't charged). See https://www.blipinteractive.co.uk/community/discussion/comment/13093/#Comment_13093

    Maybe something like that would work?

    Thank you for this. I recently got a new iPad, cloned the old one, and ran into this after Restore Purchases. Had to delete and reinstall NS2 to get a clear shot at "buying" each pack again. Then it worked fine, as described.

  • espiegel123espiegel123

    @NeuM said:
    Seems to me Apple should be charging all developers some kind of fee, even for "free" apps which are hosted on Apple's servers. Apple absorbs considerable costs to host and distribute apps. This is going to result in total chaos for customers.

    Apple already extracts fees from developers..and by denying developers flexible deployment of their apps Apple takes on (at least ethically) some burden/obligation.

  • NeuMNeuM
    edited February 1

    @espiegel123 said:

    @NeuM said:
    Seems to me Apple should be charging all developers some kind of fee, even for "free" apps which are hosted on Apple's servers. Apple absorbs considerable costs to host and distribute apps. This is going to result in total chaos for customers.

    Apple already extracts fees from developers..and by denying developers flexible deployment of their apps Apple takes on (at least ethically) some burden/obligation.

    Apple charges a fee to developers only if they sell their app (even if it's free) on the App Store, which is minimal. The fee when I was briefly involved in app development was $99 per year, if I recall correctly. But Apple still absorbs many costs surrounding the hosting, downloading and record-keeping of all transactions, which I can only imagine are massive considering their 2+ billion people base of customers. If we were back in the "good old" days of software sales and distribution, a retail outlet would take a 50% cut of all sales and it would be impossible for small software companies to even get placement.

  • espiegel123espiegel123

    @NeuM said:

    @espiegel123 said:

    @NeuM said:
    Seems to me Apple should be charging all developers some kind of fee, even for "free" apps which are hosted on Apple's servers. Apple absorbs considerable costs to host and distribute apps. This is going to result in total chaos for customers.

    Apple already extracts fees from developers..and by denying developers flexible deployment of their apps Apple takes on (at least ethically) some burden/obligation.

    Apple charges a fee to developers only if they sell their app (even if it's free) on the App Store, which is minimal. The fee when I was briefly involved in app development was $99 per year, if I recall correctly. But Apple still absorbs many costs surrounding the hosting, downloading and record-keeping of all transactions, which I can only imagine are massive considering their 2+ billion people base of customers. If we were back in the "good old" days of software sales and distribution, a retail outlet would take a 50% cut of all sales and it would be impossible for small software companies to even get placement.

    The App Store is profitable. The cost of hosting downloads is small. A price it is reasonable to expect them to cover give their preventing developers from distributing apps by other means.

  • reziduerezidue

    @rezidue said:
    I can’t get past the initial loading screen on the stand alone app. I’ll check what happens if I load auv3.

    I just tried this and it told me I had to run it stand alone. Doesn’t look like @ikmultimedia has been active on here since 2000. I’ll try to email them.

  • reziduerezidue

    @rezidue said:

    @rezidue said:
    I can’t get past the initial loading screen on the stand alone app. I’ll check what happens if I load auv3.

    I just tried this and it told me I had to run it stand alone. Doesn’t look like @ikmultimedia has been active on here since 2000. I’ll try to email them.

    @IK_Multimedia can you help with this?

  • espiegel123espiegel123

    @rezidue said:

    @rezidue said:

    @rezidue said:
    I can’t get past the initial loading screen on the stand alone app. I’ll check what happens if I load auv3.

    I just tried this and it told me I had to run it stand alone. Doesn’t look like @ikmultimedia has been active on here since 2000. I’ll try to email them.

    @IK_Multimedia can you help with this?

    You need to work through their support site. They don’t seem to be active here.

  • knewspeakknewspeak

    Interesting I think this may actually break UK law as Apple was the point of purchase of the IAP.

  • NeuMNeuM

    @knewspeak said:
    Interesting I think this may actually break UK law as Apple was the point of purchase of the IAP.

    What other lawsuits or regulatory issues have they faced recently other than the EU pushing them to accept competing app stores? I can't help but think it may have been EU regulations which may have led to this change.

  • knewspeakknewspeak

    @NeuM said:

    @knewspeak said:
    Interesting I think this may actually break UK law as Apple was the point of purchase of the IAP.

    What other lawsuits or regulatory issues have they faced recently other than the EU pushing them to accept competing app stores? I can't help but think it may have been EU regulations which may have led to this change.

    You may be correct but that wouldn’t give anyone the right to contravene consumer law of another jurisdiction.

  • knewspeakknewspeak

    If this is the case of making developers responsible for implementation of IAP’s then the whole prospect of IAP’s becomes more problematic to both developers and consumers alike.

  • busaudiobusaudio

    An unbelievable step by Apple, again.
    And yes, it feels like a retaliation for something.

  • ParthandParthand

    If it’s related to a security concern which I’m not sure makes sense regarding simply hosting then why not make it policy not to host other AppStore’s iaps.

    They have previous for breaking the functionality of products they sell when they find out customers who paid for them might use them for things they don’t want them to, that every other tech company allows as basics of computing since 2000 ie connecting a hard drive.

    Company policy is a meaningless piece of paper beside law. And they still can’t get over that.

  • wimwim
    edited February 2

    This took place back in 2022. Two years before the EU ruling took effect, but coincidentally the same year it was passed. Apple did claim that some of the changes it has imposed are to ensure compliance with the DMA. Make of that what you will. I have no idea if this is one of those changes or if it even makes sense to infer a connection.

    Anyway, this isn't a new thing.

  • wimwim

    Another thing. As far as I can tell, hosted content is no longer available for new apps, but is still supported for apps that already use it.

    If that's correct, then the moodunits announcement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. That app has been around since 2020. Maybe "apps" encompasses new IAPs within existing apps as well?

    But maybe I'm not researching this well enough. I'll go away.

  • yellow_eyezyellow_eyez

    This is GREAT news

    I hope that means they are adopting klevgrand or audiomodern IAP which are direct from the dev rather than through the app store

  • NeuMNeuM

    @yellow_eyez said:
    This is GREAT news

    I hope that means they are adopting klevgrand or audiomodern IAP which are direct from the dev rather than through the app store

    I think for a lot of the smaller devs who are new to the scene this will make it more costly for them to offer apps which require large downloads or the like. I can see both sides of the argument on this, assuming we really understand what is going on here.

  • tom_wardtom_ward

    @wim said:
    Another thing. As far as I can tell, hosted content is no longer available for new apps, but is still supported for apps that already use it.

    If that's correct, then the moodunits announcement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. That app has been around since 2020. Maybe "apps" encompasses new IAPs within existing apps as well?

    But maybe I'm not researching this well enough. I'll go away.

    It applies to new, non-consumable IAPs for any app (even if pre-existing). Their wording is...challenging, but basically any IAP that requires downloading data that the user can keep installed and in-use. Apps with sound packs and the like would be impacted. Things like games where you buy some in-game coins/etc. would be less affected. Apple decided they would continue hosting the IAP data that was already in their possession prior to the cutoff in 2022. That's my understanding.

  • tom_wardtom_ward
    edited February 2

    @NeuM said:

    @yellow_eyez said:
    This is GREAT news

    I hope that means they are adopting klevgrand or audiomodern IAP which are direct from the dev rather than through the app store

    I think for a lot of the smaller devs who are new to the scene this will make it more costly for them to offer apps which require large downloads or the like. I can see both sides of the argument on this, assuming we really understand what is going on here.

    Agree it would be great news in the future if they decide we can self-host and sell the apps ourselves! As it is now, it's just another costly burden for developers all while not getting any price-break from Apple. The ~1 month head's up they gave developers to make this switch was particularly ridiculous, but that's in the past now. :joy:

    Your reference to the old days of box software applies pretty well here @NeuM. The retailer's take was essentially a hosting cost. Shelf space is finite, and you pay for your spot on the shelf. Apple wants to continue charging developers the same % rate, while making the developer use their own shelves. Because they still host the apps themselves it's not cut and dry, but that's kinda how it feels as a developer.

  • wimwim

    @tom_ward said:

    @wim said:
    Another thing. As far as I can tell, hosted content is no longer available for new apps, but is still supported for apps that already use it.

    If that's correct, then the moodunits announcement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. That app has been around since 2020. Maybe "apps" encompasses new IAPs within existing apps as well?

    But maybe I'm not researching this well enough. I'll go away.

    It applies to new, non-consumable IAPs for any app (even if pre-existing). Their wording is...challenging, but basically any IAP that requires downloading data that the user can keep installed and in-use. Apps with sound packs and the like would be impacted. Things like games where you buy some in-game coins/etc. would be less affected. Apple decided they would continue hosting the IAP data that was already in their possession prior to the cutoff in 2022. That's my understanding.

    Thanks for that clarification. 👍

  • PoppadocrockPoppadocrock

    @wim said:
    I bet this is why we're seeing more instances like with NS2 and SampleTank (or was it Syntronk?) where people are having problems restoring purchases for large content packs. Developers may not be setting up robust architecture for downloads, or in this case, decline to do so altogether.

    Could be. I always have to restore my SMOne expansion.

  • PoppadocrockPoppadocrock

    @wim said:

    @tom_ward said:

    @wim said:
    Another thing. As far as I can tell, hosted content is no longer available for new apps, but is still supported for apps that already use it.

    If that's correct, then the moodunits announcement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. That app has been around since 2020. Maybe "apps" encompasses new IAPs within existing apps as well?

    But maybe I'm not researching this well enough. I'll go away.

    It applies to new, non-consumable IAPs for any app (even if pre-existing). Their wording is...challenging, but basically any IAP that requires downloading data that the user can keep installed and in-use. Apps with sound packs and the like would be impacted. Things like games where you buy some in-game coins/etc. would be less affected. Apple decided they would continue hosting the IAP data that was already in their possession prior to the cutoff in 2022. That's my understanding.

    Thanks for that clarification. 👍

    Yea I think they were saying they were planning on adding more IAP sounds but are not able to do so.

Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2025