iOS app crashed on iOS 12

[Anonymous User]

Joined NowTV today

iPhone 8 iOS 12.4

NowTV app v10.8.0

I first opened the app and logged in.

Then, every time I open the app it crashed after initial logo.

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

I suggest you update the iPhone to iOS 13.2 and try again.

Also maybe download the NowTV player again, as mine is on 10.8.1; that might be because this is an iPad and yours is an iPhone, but I don’t think so.

[Anonymous User]

This is like suggesting to change phone.

In the terms & conditions of the contract I don't read anything related to iOS versions, so I assume the service I'm paying for is totally compatible with iOS 12. Also, if it was not the case, the official NowTV app would require iOS 13 to install in first place: the fact that I'm able to install it on iOS 12 implies the service has to work in these conditions.

As I said, the newest iPhone version of the app in the AppStore is currently v10.8.0.

[RoyB]

This is like suggesting to change phone.

Well, let’s think. One is a potentially major disruption, costing £££. The other is a regular and recommended free and straightforward procedure. So perhaps what I’m suggesting isn't like the first option?

In the terms & conditions of the contract

What contract?

I don't read anything related to iOS versions, so I assume the service I'm paying for is totally compatible with iOS 12.

A close reading of the details on the Apple App Store reveals that the app requires iOS9 or later.

Also, if it was not the case, the official NowTV app would require iOS 13 to install in first place: the fact that I'm able to install it on iOS 12 implies the service has to work in these conditions.

Yes, I agree it ought to work on iOS 12. But for you at least, it doesn’t. These are circumstances in which tech support people (not that I am one here, I’m just a customer like you, volunteering his time to help other customers with their problems) often, very reasonably I think, suggest upgrading whatever can be easily, inexpensively, and straightforwardly upgraded to the latest version(s) has that done.

As I said, the newest iPhone version of the app in the AppStore is currently v10.8.0.

I recall only that you said you had this version, not that you necessarily thought it was the latest.

But I did wonder if iPads had the later version, and iPhones didn’t. So I looked on my wife’s iPhone (a 6, a lesser version than yours) and the App Store is definitely showing 10.8.1, updated three weeks ago to that, as a version she can have.

But I really have no idea if what I suggest will fix your issue, nor what else I might suggest, so if you don’t want to make these upgrades to see if there is any improvement, I guess I’ll have to pass, and see if anyone more knowledgeable than me in this area can chip in with a more certain fix.

Good luck, and sorry I couldn’t help 😥

[Anonymous User]

Well I didn't mean to be rude, but as a heavy iPhone user I can say with confidence that installing a major iOS release is not something to be done without thinking twice. Not updated apps may not work anymore; depending on your device, you could experience poor system-wide performance; certain iCloud services could suddenly stop synchronize across your Apple devices if you're not running the correct OS versions, perhaps on devices which you can't update because they're not supported anymore.

Plus, once you update there is no way back.

So, it is regular, it is recommended, but it is not a straightforward procedure and, depending on your entire devices ecosystem, may have a major impact.

It is a payed service, so it does have Terms & Conditions which apply: https://www.nowtv.com/gb/widget/eng/terms

Regarding the iPhone app version, these could also depend on the local App Store you connect to: as I write I noticed that in the italian App Store from v10.8.0 the new app version is v10.9.0.

I downloaded a few days ago the new version, but nothing changed.

I tried the same v10.9.0 on an iPad mini 2, on iOS 12 as well, and it works.

So it is something related to the iPhone version. To rule out everything I'll see if I can try it on another iPhone.

Does someone have some other advice I can try?

[RoyB]

Hi @Anonymous User 

i found you this in the T&Cs you referred me to above:-

“....This means that to continue using the service you may need to update the software on your device from time to time.....”

I am a heavy iPad user, but don’t find OS releases too trepidacious.

I would not, however, download an Italian software release onto a device intended to operate in the UK, on a UK service like NowTV, and expect it to work. Could this be part, or all, of your problem?

[Anonymous User]

“....This means that to continue using the service you may need to update the software on your device from time to time.....”

And this refers to the fact, as you correctly pointed out, the iOS app requires iOS 9, as stated in the App Store description.

Therefore, if something doesn't work with iOS 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 it means it's not related to iOS version. Or, if it does, it's a bug that has to be fixed, per the terms and conditions.

"I would not, however, download an Italian software release onto a device intended to operate in the UK, on a UK service like NowTV, and expect it to work. Could this be part, or all, of your problem?"

Sorry I probably didn't explain myself properly.

I'm in Italy, and NowTV streams italian Sky channels. So it's not a service intended to operate in the UK.

What I meant to say was that apps versions hits iOS App Store locally, so it may happen that an app or a version of an app is available in the UK iOS App Store and not in the italian one.

That was the case with v10.8.1: in the italian App Store from v10.8.0 it jumped directly to v10.9.0.

I updated to that but the issue is still there.

[RoyB]

Thanks for the clarification @Anonymous User 

Re your “, if something doesn't work with iOS 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 it means it's not related to iOS version. Or, if it does, it's a bug that has to be fixed, per the terms and conditions”, I was a bit surprised not to find the usual disclaimer that the software might not work, from NowTV, as about every other software supplier in the world says this.

But I equally couldn’t find anything that bound them to fix bugs - can you point me to where it says that?

But it can come down to some pretty weird stuff; my iPad won’t let me run the browser/player combination in Safari, and if I try to download a new Player, it gets the Mac .dmg.

So it thinks it’s a Mac, not an iPad. But the Player works fine if run in Chrome, or even standalone. and it’s fine on my wife’s iPad, which differs from mine only in that it is a 2018 Pro and mine is a 2016 one.

And my working hypothesis is that Safari has got its settings screwed up somehow, and the problem is pretty unique to this one iPad. I reset everything I can think of, blown away web caches, etc., but no fix yet. I’m still working on it. But who’s to blame? NowTV? Apple? Me?