[Zubersoft]

I recently made the decision to no longer support Android devices under 4.0. This didn't impact many users, and was necessary due to Google phasing out support for those versions.  While I was planning on support Android 4.0 and higher for awhile, there is a new issue that has arisen that I'm unsure how to handle.  There is a new interface to connect to AirTurn pedals that  doesn't require pairing and would add many benefits such as the pedal never going to sleep and the virtual keyboard would stay enabled on the device. The only problem is that this interface only supports Android 4.4 or higher.  So I wanted to discuss with users on the forums their thoughts on this going forward. At some point, I'm going to want to support that AirTurn interface, and over time, Google's minimum supported version of Android with their SDK will slowly creep forward. As I see it, I only have three choices:

1) I change the minimum version to 4.4, and around 8% of my users lose access to any future updates. This simplifies many sections of code and makes it easier to support new interfaces like the OneDrive SDK (which has a minimum version of 4.0.3)

2) I don't change the minimum version and wait until I'm forced to update the minimum SDK version (could be awhile). This means it would be a long time before users could benefit from the new AirTurn interface.

3) I try to support multiple APKs with different supported minimum versions. This would be a huge headache, would cause lots of development issues and would drain more of my time. I really don't want to go down this path if it can be avoided.

I'm hoping there are some users running devices lower than 4.4 that can chime in.

Thanks,
Mike

[Skip]

I have MSP on 1 device that uses an old version. Moving on will not be a problem, since I use the samsung [ver 5.xx] all the time. The other was just for checking as 'other devices' for a long time. I'll finish getting all my stuff an my phone [ver 7.xx] for backup/other device.

[Steve B.]

I will loose update capability on six of my tablets. (Yes, I have too many. Got them cheap from Goodwill.)

Unfortunately, five of the six are the larger ones, (9-10") and therefore easier viewing.

I do not have AirTurn pedals, and don't use OneDrive, so these advances are meaningless to me.

Naturally, I wouldn't want to deny those advances to others.

I am quite satisfied with the features and performance of the current version of MobileSheets. 

Therefore, I think I will stop updating ALL of my tablets and avoid ANY possibility that a saved database from one tablet would be incompatible with another tablet.

[GraemeJ]

Therefore, I think I will stop updating ALL of my tablets and avoid ANY possibility that a saved database from one tablet would be incompatible with another tablet.

I rather tend towards the same view. Everything seems to work fine as it is now and I can't imagine that future enhancements will give me any advantages over what I now have.  I'm a great believer in the old adage 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

[gerryfitz]

I have three tablets running 4.2. Several of our band also run this version.

There are problems on the older tablets with Air Turn a lot of the time, dropping out, hard to connect.

I have bought two new Android tablets running 6 so will be OK for a while. I use Donner pedals on these, much cheaper and work great.

The 4.2 tablets are now simply back up tablets and I don't bother with Air Turn on them.

I would need to know when to stop updating the older tablets although I just use them as basic readers and don't need many of the bells and whistles.

Gerry

[Vibraphon]

We would not be pleased with this decision.
We could not update our tablets anymore, as most of our bands tablets work with Android 4.1.1 (13.3 "tablets),

This would mean that the synchronization option - already announced - will not be available to us anymore. We are waiting for this opition since longer time!

We would expect the companion-app further to be able to manage and sync older android-versions too!

[Rey_a]

I have a backup device running  4.2.
I do not use it much (by definition so for a backup device I guess).
It would be ok for me to have that device stuck on an older version of MSP. No problem


It would be handy though if it were to have the announced library sync function and/or the ability to restore a backup from another tablet (running 4.4 or higher) that does have the newest version of MSP. So that it could have a recent version of my music library when needing to use it in case of a problem with one of my other tablets.

At the time, I also installed MSP on 2 other old 13" tablets I do not use anymore. Both are on an android version lower than 4.4.
I never took the time to uninstall MSP on them. I may have done a factory reset on one. Do not remember exactly.
I was wondering if those 2 still are counted in that 8% of your user base or if they get removed after the device has not been used for some time .... ?

Rudy

[BRX]

I started out with 5.0 already. So no danger for my tablets for quite a while. :-)

[Zubersoft]

I think I will try to deliver the major promised features before making any decisions with phasing out older OS versions.  That includes the library synchronization features and the annotations rework at a minimum.  Thanks everyone for providing feedback.

Rudy - I think any device that has MobileSheetsPro installed on it is considered an active install, but I haven't actually verified that. I probably should do that so I know how accurate the numbers from Google are.

Mike

[Vibraphon]

I think I will try to deliver the major promised features before making any decisions with phasing out older OS versions.  That includes the library synchronization features and the annotations rework at a minimum.  ...

 Super. many thanks!

[sciurius]

Just a bit curious about the new interface to connect to AirTurn pedals. How does that work without pairing (security issues)?
And I'm not sure that it would be a benefit that the pedal never goes to sleep. Currently it feels quite reassuring that the pedal will switch off as soon as it gets out of reach of the tablet.

[Zubersoft]

It's a custom interface through bluetooth LE I believe. AirTurn just provides the library that does the grunt work, so I don't actually know the inner workings. I'm assuming the pedal is just sending messages as needed to the tablet, and my app receives those directly, instead of the pedal being treated as a HID device, and my app receiving input as key press events.

Mike

[Steve B.]

I think I will try to deliver the major promised features before making any decisions with phasing out older OS versions.  That includes the library synchronization features and the annotations rework at a minimum.  Thanks everyone for providing feedback.

Mike

That would be ideal!

I understand that these tablets will have to be 'put out to pasture' eventually...trying to hold on as long as possible!

[Phillip21]

I have only just spotted this thread.  My tablet only runs Android 4.2.2 and can't be updated further so I certainly welcome continued capability!

[Rainer_T]

Hi Mike, I use an old Tablet running Android 4.1.1. beside a tablet with Android 8.1.0. I cannot update the old tablet. But until the latest release of MobileSheets I could sync both tablets. Now this doesn't work anymore  . I can understand your decision to gon on foreward, but for me it means I cannot use the old tablet anymore. Is there a solution available to downgrade the database? Regards Rainer

I recently made the decision to no longer support Android devices under 4.0. This didn't impact many users, and was necessary due to Google phasing out support for those versions.  While I was planning on support Android 4.0 and higher for awhile, there is a new issue that has arisen that I'm unsure how to handle.  There is a new interface to connect to AirTurn pedals that  doesn't require pairing and would add many benefits such as the pedal never going to sleep and the virtual keyboard would stay enabled on the device. The only problem is that this interface only supports Android 4.4 or higher.  So I wanted to discuss with users on the forums their thoughts on this going forward. At some point, I'm going to want to support that AirTurn interface, and over time, Google's minimum supported version of Android with their SDK will slowly creep forward. As I see it, I only have three choices:

1) I change the minimum version to 4.4, and around 8% of my users lose access to any future updates. This simplifies many sections of code and makes it easier to support new interfaces like the OneDrive SDK (which has a minimum version of 4.0.3)

2) I don't change the minimum version and wait until I'm forced to update the minimum SDK version (could be awhile). This means it would be a long time before users could benefit from the new AirTurn interface.

3) I try to support multiple APKs with different supported minimum versions. This would be a huge headache, would cause lots of development issues and would drain more of my time. I really don't want to go down this path if it can be avoided.

I'm hoping there are some users running devices lower than 4.4 that can chime in.

Thanks,
Mike