Is it possible to contact all users of an app (in exceptional circumstances only)?

App Store Distribution & Marketing General
cfc OP
Created Jan ’18
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Hi, my app uses a 3rd party company that provides data necessary for the app to operate. That company folded last week, and their services will no longer be available after the end of this month (to be honest it is good of them to keep the service running that long). I am rewriting the app to connect to an alternative source, and I will have a new version out before the end of the month.

However there are bound to be many users that are still using the current version in February because they do not auto-update their apps. These users will suddenly find the app no longer works properly, and will understandably not be happy, so it would be good if I could contact them and ask them to update.


I realise that Apple do not usually allow developers to communicate with users but wondered if they make exceptions in exceptional situations like this? I wouldn't want a list of email addresses or anything like that, just the ability to send a simple message to Apple, which they could then read and modify in any way they want before sending it on to the users.


Does anyone know if this is possible, and if so then who should I contact at Apple?


Thanks.

Replies  7
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NotMyName OP
Jan ’18

That's not how it works.


How it works is that you update your app, and then the various users find out about the update through the App Store. Either they'lol auto-update, or they'll crash and think to manually update, or whatever.


But no part of the process includes "Send a message to all of the accounts that purchased your app and may or may not still be using your app."


Just update your app.

0
PBK OP
Jan ’18

>I am rewriting the app to connect to an alternative source, and I will have a new version out before the end of the month. This is good. You could also update the app immediately with just the addition of an alert telling users to expect a critical bug fix update in a few weeks that will be necessary shortly thereafter.

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KMT OP
Jan ’18

>Does anyone know if this is possible


Never heard Apple doing what you want, and I'm not aware of any formal mechanism available to the general dev community. As noted, you should already be busy updating the app, and messaging via any user-facing support that you normally maintain.


Tip: Take the app off sale in all countries so new users don't step in it.


Have to wonder, tho, if your business model originally included contingencies for just this kind of event...ouch if it didn't.


>...who should I contact at Apple?


If you like, I suppose you could call 'em up and ask, stranger things and all that - numbers here


Good luck.

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john daniel OP
Jan ’18

Hello cfc,

Mapzen?


As others have suggested, there isn't much you can do at this point. I do have a good suggestion going forward. In your update, and pretty much any app really, you should have a mechanism in place to handle losing a service like this. You don't want to just crash or lock up. You want to detect a failure and at that point you will be able to contact the user and tell them to update. Always assume that any service, from any provider, including your own, could just disappear. Your app needs to gracefully handle that.

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cfc OP
Jan ’18

Thanks for all the responses. It is indeed Mapzen. The app uses their vector tiles to render an OpenStreetMap map on the iPhone and the Apple Watch.


As to whether the business model included contingencies, there are several other providers of vector tiles, so I will just switch to another one of them. I am trying Mapbox first as they seem to be the biggest and least likely to follow Mapzen. It has taken almost a week to handle the different data model, but it seems to be working now. I am just starting to beta test, so hopefully this is just a temporary setback.


I probably exaggerated slightly when saying that the map API is necessary. The app allows map tiles to be cached and used offline on the watch, so it doesn't rely on Mapzen apart from to download new tiles. It is a workout app and all the workout stats will still be available. It also shows a breadcrumb trail of the user's route, and also allows GPX routes to be displayed, so the user could follow a route even without the maps. So it is not as if the app will suddenly stop working (I hope) but it will not be able to retrieve any new maps. However the app's unique selling point is the fact that it displays a fully interactive vector map, which is why I am worried.


I did think about a releasing an update with a warning, so that users hear about it earlier, but decided it was best to tell them when there was actually a fixed version to use. I will also look into providing some sort of feedback to the user if repeated tile requests fail, although I will have to be careful as spotty data coverage can cause download issues.


Thanks again for all the response. KMT: I will give the phone numbers a try. As you say it's unlikely, but you never know.


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john daniel OP
Jan ’18

I strongly suggest you consider adding support for Apple Maps, even if only as a fallback. Apple Maps is free and you can reasonably assume it will always be available. But any 3rd party service is going to be contingent on their service being active and your account being in good standing.

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cfc OP
Jan ’18

Thanks for the suggestion but my app is primarily an Apple Watch app and unfortunately Apple Maps is very limited on Apple Watch. It only provides a static map image, whereas I need a fully interactive vector map, similar to the Apple Maps app, but integrated into my watch app.


Also my app is intended for use when hiking, mountain biking etc and Apple Maps is very poor when it comes to paths and trails. In a lot of hiking situations Apple Maps would not be showing much anyway, so my empty vector map is probably a better fallback because it at least shows the breadcrumb trail and users can load and see GPX routes to follow.


Thanks though - in most situations Apple Maps would be a reasonable fallback, but probably not in this case.

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Is it possible to contact all users of an app (in exceptional circumstances only)?
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