January 1, 2011

How to avoid updating Camera+ 1.2.1, to retain volume shutter

Tags: , , , , ,
NB: Nov 16 2011 Update at end of article. On my iPhone 4, I love TapTapTap Camera+ 2.0 app's faster startup and new features, but I love Camera+ 1.2.1's VolumeSnap shutter button feature more. Repurposing the volume button to a shutter release allows me to hold my iPhone 4 steadier, with both hands like a real camera, when composing and taking pictures.

After TapTapTap's December 2010 release of version 2.0, iTunes began relentlessly prompting me to update, which would mean I would lose the volume shutter button feature. I couldn't find an option in iTunes to permanently decline an app update, so I made a backup copy of Camera+ 1.2.1, and then renamed the original file, from:

~/Music/Mobile Applications/Camera+ 1.2.1.ipa
to
~/Music/Mobile Applications/Camera+ 2.0.ipa

Now iTunes no longer prompts me to update Camera+, and I retain version 1.2.1's volume button shutter release. Each time TapTapTap subsequently updates Camera+ 2.x, I will of course have to rename the .ipa file above to match the new version number.  [Feb 2011 Update: the file is now named: Camera+ 2.1.ipa]

This technique may be useful for other iOS apps for which you wish to retain an older version. Remember when you update an app in iTunes, the old .ipa file is placed in the Trash, from whence you can retrieve it.

PS. I share developer John Casasanta's wish that if enough people ask, Apple will eventually allow future versions of Camera+ to re-enable the VolumeSnap feature.

Background:
Updates