Apple strikes again. Normally, when an iPhone/iPod touch app gets updated it’s good news. Woo hoo — new features, new fun! iStat users who updated their app to the latest version that became available this afternoon however, were in for a little surprise… From iStat developer Bjango’s site:
Where did ‘Free Memory’ go?
iStat’s Free Memory function was removed at Apple’s request.
This decision was completely out of our hands. Please note that all other apps with Free Memory appear to have been removed or updated without their Free Memory function too.
This was not taken lightly—we examined our choices, taking a lot of public feedback on board. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused and we do not plan to remove any other features from iStat.
If you choose (and you haven’t already updated), you can continue to run iStat version 1.0. You’ll miss out on new features, but you’ll get to keep the Free Memory feature.
We are very committed to ensuring iStat is the best iPhone and iPod Touch monitoring tool. Free Memory has been removed, but a lot of other useful features will be added in its place.
Garbage. The free memory function found within iStat and other similar applications allowed users to clear out wired and inactive memory, thus reducing drain on battery life and improving device performance without the need for a reboot. To be perfectly frank, it was the only reason we purchased and continued to use iStat. Forgetting about this specific function for a moment, it is completely unfair to both developers and users alike for Apple to approve functionality in an application and then force its removal in later versions. Moreover, it is absolutely unethical. In other industries, this practice is a form of ‘bait and switch’. In the App Store, it’s just another day at the office.
