All iPads Are 32 bit apps still available to download on older iPad running 10.3?

[itsjustmeee]

I've been really missing a few of my older 32 bit games lately and have been thinking of picking up an old iPad with iOS 10.3 just for that purpose. If I get one, will my old 32 bit games show up in the App Store and can I install them? If not, is there some other way to get them on the older iPad?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Digitalguy]

In my experience, if they are linked to your Apple ID and are still on the servers you can download them.
If they are no longer downloadable the only way is to use a third party software to copy them from a device that already has them installed (assuming you have one).

 

[itsjustmeee]

If I go to my purchased apps on my new iPad Pro, I see my purchase history, and a number of them do not have a download symbol next to them and when I click on them, it says “cannot connect to Store”. I don’t see any “not compatible with this device“ message. Which makes me wonder if a number of them are just simply removed from the store itself. If I purchase an old iPad, can I restore from an old backup that had the 32 bit apps from an older Mac, and are apps backed up as well. In other words, do those older back ups we did on our macs include the apps inside of the back up?

 

[Digitalguy]

If I go to my purchased apps on my new iPad Pro, I see my purchase history, and a number of them do not have a download symbol next to them and when I click on them, it says “cannot connect to Store”. I don’t see any “not compatible with this device“ message. Which makes me wonder if a number of them are just simply removed from the store itself. If I purchase an old iPad, can I restore from an old backup that had the 32 bit apps from an older Mac, and are apps backed up as well. In other words, do those older back ups we did on our macs include the apps inside of the back up?

To be honest, if you don't have an iPad with these apps, I have no idea if it's possible from the Mac backup

 

[millydog]

I kept my iPad 3 and it’s still able to download the 32-bit games.

The reason I’m using that iPad for the 32-bit games is because it can’t be updated beyond iOS 10, while other iPads that I had on iOS 10 were updated and can no longer play the 32-bit games.

There are a few games that I purchased that have since been removed from the AppStore and are no longer available for download, but most still can be downloaded. If they appear in your purchased history and have the greyed out icon so they can’t be downloaded to a newer iPad, that’s a sign that they are still available for you to download if you had a compatible iPad. The games that were fully removed from the AppStore and can’t be downloaded again are no longer in the My Purchases list in the AppStore.

 

[rui no onna]

I kept my iPad 3 and it’s still able to download the 32-bit games.

The reason I’m using that iPad for the 32-bit games is because it can’t be updated beyond iOS 10, while other iPads that I had on iOS 10 were updated and can no longer play the 32-bit games.

There are a few games that I purchased that have since been removed from the AppStore and are no longer available for download, but most still can be downloaded. If they appear in your purchased history and have the greyed out icon so they can’t be downloaded to a newer iPad, that’s a sign that they are still available for you to download if you had a compatible iPad. The games that were fully removed from the AppStore and can’t be downloaded again are no longer in the My Purchases list in the AppStore.

That's probably an iPad 4. iPad 3 maxes out on iOS 9.

Mind, if you have an old iTunes version that still has the App Store, you can restore a backup including old apps that may have already been removed from the online App Store.

I keep an old Windows 7 laptop with a special version of iTunes (I think it was meant for corporate apps) for backup/restore purpose for iOS 9/10.

 

[millydog]

That's probably an iPad 4. iPad 3 maxes out on iOS 9.

Mind, if you have an old iTunes version that still has the App Store, you can restore a backup including old apps that may have already been removed from the online App Store.

I keep an old Windows 7 laptop with a special version of iTunes (I think it was meant for corporate apps) for backup/restore purpose for iOS 9/10.

I knew that I should have charged it up and checked the iOS version before posting. Hehe
It must be on iOS 9 then. It’s definitely an iPad 3 that I have for this purpose. It’s “the new iPad”, the first one with a Retina display. I never had the iPad 4th gen, I wasn’t happy that Apple bought that out 6 months later. Lol
Anyway, even the iPad 3 on iOS 9 runs the old 32-bit apps. The ones that I have installed on it are mostly Big Fish hidden object games that weren’t upgraded to 32-bit.

 

[itsjustmeee]

So the photo below is what I see on my iPad Pro when I go to the "not on this iPad" purchased section of the App Store. I've noticed that the apps with the download option will indeed download and install on my iPad even if they have been removed from the App Store. I'll get the "cannot connect to App Store" but they will download. My question is if I had an older iPad with 10.3, will the other apps have the download options as well so I can get them?