Created Saturday, Feb 12th 2022 21:50Z, last updated Saturday, Feb 12th 2022 21:50Z
I have today released Version 1.05 of the iOS App (Apple), which primarily fixed a problem that Apple had introduced on iPhones 13 (with iOS 15), so that on these devices Version 1.04 could no longer scroll articles and comments, thus disabling reading full articles and comments. As a aide effect of this work many App functions were rewritten entirely, compatibility with the Youtube App was restored (which had been lost in Version 1.04 as result of a major API change of the Youtube App) and a bug, that had existed since version 1.00 (and had never been detected until the beta test of 1.05), was fixed (search for other articles involving the same aircraft in Flight Info). 1.05 does not introduce new features, it only maintains/restores the features and capabilities of Version 1.04.
I want to remind users of the App, that the fee is not for the App itself, but is a contribution towards editorial work. The App is free of advertising and thus does not generate any income otherwise, while the Website with the ads provides a significant contribution towards running cost like editorial work, office, servers, leased lines and other infrastructure.
Apple had e-mailed me in December 2021 (without me contacting Apple) stating that I just needed to recompile the App with the newest software development kit to restore compatibility with iPhones 13 (which sounded reasonable, a 10 minutes job).
However, to install the latest development kit (Xcode 13) the latest MacOS was required, and the latest MacOS could no longer be installed on my existing development hardware, so a new hardware needed to be purchased and arrived in the first days of January 2022.
It then turned out, that a recompile didn't work at all, the recompiled App crashed in all directions. Due to many changes in iOS operating system including removal of several previous iOS functions and libraries like Search Display Library as well as many changes of default values, calling conventions and calls of the App out of libraries a major rework of the App was necessary and required quite a few nightshifts when I worked all day from 09:00 and through the night until 05:00 the following morning entirely focussing on the App development (and thus not being able to attend to editorial work), and had me in despair several times when things seemed like to become a "never ending story" requiring development via trial and error because the Apple Documentation seems more than lacking with most important information missing. This major rework needed a thorough test and beta test.
On Feb 2nd 2022 we entered a beta test and ironed out the remaining quirks, I submitted the final beta (then Release Candidate 3) to Apple on Feb 9th 2022 and began the procedure to make this version public on Feb 11th 2022.
Apple approved the App for being published on Feb 12th 2022, I have released it to public shortly afterwards.
I thank Sarah for her mental support throughout these extremely intensive times, she had to take more than once serious outbursts of frustration and anger of mine over what Apple had done forcing such an incredible workload on App developers for what should have been a simple recompile only and only to fix a bug that Apple had introduced themselves on iPhone 13s.
The App can be downloaded via
