All iPads Restoring/installing discontinued iPad app on new iPad?

[Aggedor]

There's an iPad game that I regularly play with my family that has been discontinued - it's a board game, and developer's license expired and was taken over by the board game manufacturer themselves for their own far inferior version.

I'm looking at upgrading my iPad as it is fairly old, but does that mean I'll lose that app? I would prefer a clean iPad setup rather than restoring the new device from a backup of the old one, but will the discontinued app be available in my store account? Or is restoring the iPad from the backup the only option?

I obviously don't want to test it until I know I'll still have the app!

 

[rui no onna]

Restoring from backup doesn't actually help if the app has been completely deleted from the store since all apps get re-downloaded from the App Store.

You can check if the app is still accessible by going to your list of purchased apps (on iOS 14, App Store -> Account -> Purchased).

 

[Rafterman]

There's an iPad game that I regularly play with my family that has been discontinued - it's a board game, and developer's license expired and was taken over by the board game manufacturer themselves for their own far inferior version.

I'm looking at upgrading my iPad as it is fairly old, but does that mean I'll lose that app? I would prefer a clean iPad setup rather than restoring the new device from a backup of the old one, but will the discontinued app be available in my store account? Or is restoring the iPad from the backup the only option?

I obviously don't want to test it until I know I'll still have the app!

I have a few iPad apps that are gone from the store, but if you back up locally (not sure about cloud backup), and you restore your iPad from the backup, the unsupported apps will restore. The local backups don't actually back up the apps locally, the backups "remember" your apps and re-download them from the app store, but legacy apps are kept on the app store (even if you can't download them directly from the app anymore) for restore purposes.

But once you delete the old app from your device, then back up, if you restore, then it's gone for good.

 

[rui no onna]

I have a few iPad apps that are gone from the store, but if you back up locally (not sure about cloud backup), and you restore your iPad from the backup, the unsupported apps will restore. The local backups don't actually back up the apps locally, the backups "remember" your apps and re-download them from the app store, but legacy apps are kept on the app store (even if you can't download them directly from the app anymore) for restore purposes.

But once you delete the old app from your device, then back up, if you restore, then it's gone for good.

Not exactly. It really depends on the app.

For example, Stanza is completely gone from the App Store and the only way to install/sync that is from a local copy on a special version of iTunes.

However, a lot of apps, even though they're "gone" from the App Store still show up and can be installed via the purchase history even when setting up a device as new. For example, Geekbench 4 no longer shows up on the App Store but I was still able to install it on the 2021 iPP (setup as new) via the purchase history.

 

[Rafterman]

Not exactly. It really depends on the app.

For example, Stanza is completely gone from the App Store and the only way to install/sync that is from a local copy on a special version of iTunes.

However, a lot of apps, even though they're "gone" from the App Store still show up and can be installed via the purchase history even when setting up a device as new. For example, Geekbench 4 no longer shows up on the App Store but I was still able to install it on the 2021 iPP (setup as new) via the purchase history.

I have 4 apps that are discontinued, and I never had one not restore. Granted, a small sample size. But I have found that as long as it's on your old device and you back it up, then restore to the new device, it will get the app. I haven't set up a new device is 10 years, I've aways restored my old to new, and I've carried discontinued apps all that time.

I don't think Apple truly removes an app. You may not have access to it for new installs, but it will be hidden there for legacy restores for people who still have the app installed and don't delete it.

 

[rui no onna]

I have 4 apps that are discontinued, and I never had one not restore. Granted, a small sample size. But I have found that as long as it's on your old device and you back it up, then restore to the new device, it will get the app. I haven't set up a new device is 10 years, I've aways restored my old to new, and I've carried discontinued apps all that time.

I don't think Apple truly removes an app. You may not have access to it for new installs, but it will be hidden there for legacy restores for people who still have the app installed and don't delete it.

I have lots of apps that are discontinued that show up in the purchase history and are still installable regardless of restore from backup or setup as new. It doesn't matter if the app is on your old device or not. All that matters is if it's still on Apple's servers (even if it's "hidden").

I've also had instances where a restore from backup just showed the app icon on the Home Screen with the cloud icon but couldn't be downloaded. Moot point since the apps no longer functioned anyway but usually, those were the cases where they've been disallowed from being re-downloaded by the developer.

Again, even if the app doesn't show up in App Store search, one can check whether it's still downloadable via App Store -> Account -> Purchased.

 

[Rafterman]

I have lots of apps that are discontinued that show up in the purchase history and are still installable regardless of restore from backup or setup as new. It doesn't matter if the app is on your old device or not. All that matters is if it's still on Apple's servers (even if it's "hidden").

I've also had instances where a restore from backup just showed the app icon on the Home Screen with the cloud icon but couldn't be downloaded. Moot point since the apps no longer functioned anyway but usually, those were the cases where they've been disallowed from being re-downloaded by the developer.

Again, even if the app doesn't show up in App Store search, one can check whether it's still downloadable via App Store -> Account -> Purchased.

I am not talking about apps that can be downloaded still. An app can still be on their servers, even though it can't be downloaded by anyone, even owners. But is IS available for restores of devices that have it in their backup. Maybe they only strip it if the app no longer functions on any supported version of iOS.

 

[rui no onna]

I am not talking about apps that can be downloaded still. An app can still be on their servers, even though it can't be downloaded by anyone, even owners. But is IS available for restores of devices that have it in their backup. Maybe they only strip it if the app no longer functions on any supported version of iOS.

Yeah, I'm talking about the same apps that can no longer be downloaded/purchased with a new iCloud/iTunes account.

There are two different cases.

1. Apps that can be re-installed/downloaded via backup or through purchase history if already acquired prior to the developer removing the app from the App Store.

2. Apps that cannot be re-installed/downloaded at all even for restored backups.

I have one such app (Image Comics) that didn't completely restore from backup and just can't be re-downloaded anymore. As mentioned, the icon shows up on home screen but it just has the tiny cloud icon below it. I think in your case, you only have experience with #1.

Granted, I reckon #2 is pretty rare. Image Comics and Stanza are the only ones I know of that are like that.

 

[Wayne1854]

Yeah, I'm talking about the same apps that can no longer be downloaded/purchased with a new iCloud/iTunes account.

There are two different cases.

1. Apps that can be re-installed/downloaded via backup or through purchase history if already acquired prior to the developer removing the app from the App Store.

2. Apps that cannot be re-installed/downloaded at all even for restored backups.

I have one such app (Image Comics) that didn't completely restore from backup and just can't be re-downloaded anymore. As mentioned, the icon shows up on home screen but it just has the tiny cloud icon below it. I think in your case, you only have experience with #1.

Granted, I reckon #2 is pretty rare. Image Comics and Stanza are the only ones I know of that are like that.

I've had #2. I have the Sam & Max Freelance Police games on my original iPad Pro 12.9, but they didn't restore to my new 2021 iPad Pro. The icons appear on the screen with the iCloud icon, but when I tap on them, I get the message, "The app is no longer available in the App Store." They still work on the old iPad, though.

 

[Aggedor]

Thanks for all the advice. The app in question does still appear under my purchases, so it's still on the store, just hidden (I just installed it on my M1 MBA, and it downloaded just fine). So I guess the sooner I get a new iPad, the better, in case the app is removed!