Publisher app lost with iOS 14.6 update

[Simsjl]

I recently updated my iPad Pro to iOS 14.6. Today I tried to open my Publisher app (where I have many items stored) only to get the message that the app had to be updated in order to work with iOS 14.6. I don’t know who created the app…I thought it was Microsoft because it worked more-or-less like Microsoft Publisher. The app’s picture icon is attached here. Does anyone have this app that can tell me the creator, and does anyone know of another app that works similarly to MS Publisher? I don’t want the newer, better, bells and whistles app; I want what I had! if I can find the app’s creator, maybe they can tell me how to get my stufff, or if they intend to update. BTW, I’ve found one more app that 14.6 has “locked.” I hate this about Apple…every update causes havoc.

 

[twerppoet]

Looks like the developer is Wobat Apps. Wombat Apps

The site looks good at first glance, but a little clicking around soon shows that it’s badly neglected. The Help/Support link goes to only offers for a different app. The Mac version of the app, which the page sells as the greatest thing since their iOS version, is at least 5 years old. That’s the date that PC Magazine gives on its download page (which I don’t recommend visiting; 75 trackers blocked, and so many pop-up-over-down-under-inline ads I struggled to read the one or two paragraph description of the app.

The chances that this app saved your projects in a non-proprietary format are slim, but try using the Files app and look for a folder named after that app. Give the age of the app, make sure you check the On My iPad section.,

Because it was at one time a Mac app, there there is a small chance there is a file conversion utilities available for the Mac. No way of researching that unless/until the file type is identified.

 

[LannyC]

Unfortunately, this happens all the time. App developers come and go, and apps are abandoned even when the developers are still in business. It's why you should not create anything on an iPad unless you are willing to lose it overnight without warning.

 

[scifan57]

Backing up important files in more than one place is also prudent.

 

[LannyC]

The problem is, sometimes those files are not accessible, nor even visible, outside the abandoned app. When Peterson field guides decided to abandon their iOS birding app, my bird list was lost. I wrote them, and their response was basically "tough luck."

Bottom line: the iPad is an excellent consumption device, but not a creation tool. If you disagree, someday you're gonna be sorry.

 

[twerppoet]

Unfortunately, this happens all the time. App developers come and go, and apps are abandoned even when the developers are still in business. It's why you should not create anything on an iPad unless you are willing to lose it overnight without warning.

Happens with other platforms as well. I’ve lost content in the past on the Mac, and even mores so on older platforms. I admit the volume of small developers, and how easy it is to chose a less than great app (mostly out of app research fatigue) makes this more common on iOS. It’s also a common issue for older (pre Files app) apps, since they have far fewer options for storing and managing files.

That said, here is my approach to chooseing a productivity or creation app on any platform; providing you consider the content valuable.

Three things to look for, at least two of which should apply to your choice.,

1) Make sure the app is from a reliable developer with a long history of support and, well survival.

2) The app saves it’s files in a standard format that can be opened and edited by other apps. The more others, the better.

3) The app can export it’s files in other formats and to other (non-iPad) location

Other tips.

Keep an eye on how frequently your important apps get updated. No updates in a year is worrisome. A developer not updating their app soon after a major iOS update is a sign of neglect. If an app has not been updated for two years or more, and it does something you need, then you’d better start looking for a replacement, soon.

Having more than one app that does the same job, even if you don’t like it as much, is a good idea. Best if it works with the same file format, or can at least export/import the main app’s files. This can be a cheap, limited app. It’s just a safety net.

Make sure your important apps are all ready for a new version of iOS before updating. This requires a bit of patience and due-diligence. Professionals are often late adopters for this reason.


Do I always do these things? Well no. I often don’t realize that some files are important to me until they are gone. When that happens I bang my my head on a wall a few times, then go about doing what I can to salvage or recreate that work. I do pay close attention to all my main productive apps, which to be fair are mostly Apple’s apps, with Microsoft and Google thrown in when they can’t be avoided.