iPod Touch 4 - will it be left behind? (consideration)

auxili

Hey, I'm considering picking up an ipod touch 4 to try out loopy. As an investment, however, I'm worried that as Loopy is developed, the ipod touch 4 will be left behind. My worry is in loopy becoming slow and unresponsive as it is updated with new features and such.

I used an iphone 1 for years, but during my last year with it I couldn't download any new apps or update my current ones because they all required ios3.0, which ran poorly on the iphone 1 and slowed it down greatly. Thus I stuck with 2.0, but couldn't update any apps or download new ones.

Hopefully this doesn't become the case with the ipad 1 and ipod touch 4.

Michael, if that point ever comes, would you consider keeping an archived "older-device-compatible" version for people with ipad 1s and ipod touch 4s? This would prevent Loopy from becoming an "IOS 6.0-only" or "IOS 7.0-only" app. And it would keep Loopy running smoothly on these soon-to-be 'older' devices.

Another option is making sure any new processing/ram-heavy features are disableable by the user (or to have a 'lite' mode). The intent would be to make sure the apps runs as well as it does currently in the future - to ensure that the smooth performance people have now with their device will still be there a couple years down the road.

Thanks!

Michael

Hey @auxili - it is a tricky one, maintaining backwards compatibility with older devices, especially when Apple stop supporting them themselves (with OS updates, etc). But I expect to be supporting the Touch 4 for a fair while to come - I like the idea of supporting things for as long as is feasible, anyway; it's much better for the environment to keep using devices for as long as possible before upgrading, so wherever I can encourage people to do that, I most certainly will.

auxili

Awesome

I'm also just curious whether or not the lower specs on the ipod touch 4th gen has any impact on Loopy's performance. Is loopy demanding to the point of behaving differently on each of the IOS devices?

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Since I've got your ears for a moment, I'll ask an unrelated question. :P

With loopy, is it possible to mute 'monitoring'? Meaning, if i play an instrument in and record a loopy, is it possible for the immediate direct playback to be muted, but still have the resulting loop be played and audible?

Just a curious question, as I'm brainstorming a double-output wiring map, which will have my keyboard output to both loopy and my amp through separate outs.
The goal is for Loopy to not play the instrument's feed directly, but be able to record loops and play them back.

Michael

Actually, to be honest, I don't have an iPod Touch in my testbed, so I don't have any real data on how it behaves. I *do* have an iPhone 4, which is equivalent (except with more ram), and I always make sure Loopy runs okay on that. I also have a 3Gs which runs Loopy fine, so the Touch 4 shouldn't have any problems.
I also optimise as I go, when I find new avenues for it (there're *quite* a bunch of optimisations in this update, for example), so hopefully Loopy will run better as it continues to develop, as opposed to the other way around. Ideally

It sure is - just turn off "Playthrough" in Settings.

auxili

Awesome Mike. I can't help but want to support you and this app, even if i don't have it myself.

Michael

Thank you, that's very kind Well hopefully the hardware will get better and it'll be more viable for you soon.

auxili

Random thing I wanted to point out - on the front page of the loopy website, the photo of the iphone with loopy on it has an error. The app doesn't actually fit the screen properly. The app photo is squished and there's a big gap on the bottom of the screen area. :P

Michael

Whoa!! How did I miss that? Thank you, I'll fix it straight away!