Android 3.5 App Released 10/18/2012

[iwill]

Thanks for the explanation! I've made the purchase in Google Play now to remove the ads.

Just FYI- the help page in the Android app still mentions the "free for 30 days/server license clause" if you meant to update that too.

[Zappos]

Again, sorry for the terrible handling of all this!
Sindre

Thanks Sindre. Glad that its all sorted out now.

[sindre_mehus]

Just FYI- the help page in the Android app still mentions the "free for 30 days/server license clause" if you meant to update that too.

Thanks, yeah I forgot about that. I'll update that for the next release.

Forgot to mention that the ad removal purchase is permanently tied to your Google account, so it applies to all your Android devices - and will be restored if you reinstall the app.

Regards
Sindre

[mikes]

Will you continue to provide ad free versions here for people who've donated prior to your changing the terms? I'd think simply making the authorization keys work in the Android app would be the best solution.

[jayw654]

My only complaint is the following bug:
Bug found with the client side Android Subsonic application in version number 3.5 and 3.6.
First off I’m using a Google Nexus 7 16GB tablet. The OS revision that it is using is v4.1.2.
The first bug is when playing a song with Subsonic through the Android application I get dropouts which last .3 - .5 seconds it only happens once or twice in a song but it is very annoying. Second any song I play has the issue but the song is coming off my local network and the entire song is done being cached within 5-7 seconds. Next if I play the cached copy with another player such as the Google Music player it plays perfectly fine however if I go back to Subsonic I get the .3 - .5 second dropouts again. I tried the 2 previously released versions of the app and the problem still exists. However, if I run the app on an older version of android like 2.3.4 it is fine. Go figure! Anyway I didn't mind dishing out $4.44 for the ad removal although I don't agree with all the aspects of Subsonic I think overall it is a very good product and I don't mind supporting the efforts of something I use everyday, but please sindre_mehus please fix the above bug.

[Robandcathy]

How can I get a refund and how can I go back to the old free subsonic app. back. I like the theme but dont want to pay for just a skin. I uninstalled but never saw the refund option. I would pay for better functionalty aka 30% faster streaming or better converting etc, but for a skin eah Im good with the original or a flash free streaming,,,, just saying

[GJ51]

How can I get a refund and how can I go back to the old free subsonic app. back. I like the theme but dont want to pay for just a skin. I uninstalled but never saw the refund option. I would pay for better functionalty aka 30% faster streaming or better converting etc, but for a skin eah Im good with the original or a flash free streaming,,,, just saying

I can't help with your $4.44 "investment" but if you really want to go back, just uninstall the app and pick how far back you want to g from here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/subsonic/files/android/

[jesusice]

Dear all,

Ok, I screwed this one up big time!

I'm very sorry for not announcing/discussing the introduction of ads in the Android app prior to the update.
It was never my intention to step on the toes of my most loyal users.

The background for the change was that the income from selling server-side licenses has continuously dropped during the last year (perhaps not surprisingly since they are lifetime licenses). So to be able to fund further development I was looking for alternatives. Since many of the other Subsonic smartphone apps are paid, I didn't think people would mind too much if the Android app too would be non-free. However, Google doesn't allow changing a free app to a paid one so that's why I chose to use ads instead.

Yes, I should have communicated this much better and I apologize for that. It was very bad form, indeed.

In the meantime I have prepared an ad-free version for anyone to download, see http://www.subsonic.org/pages/apps.jsp#android
(The version on Google Play is still ad-supported.)

I have also changed the language on the subsonic.org pages to more clearly reflect the changed circumstances.

Again, sorry for the terrible handling of all this!
Sindre

I'm currently using a competing Subsonic app but I'd gladly purchase the official Subsonic app if notification controls and lockscreen controls were implemented. Are there any plans for those features to come?

Also, I'd really love the ability to force Subsonic to rescan the directory on my PC from the app for when I remotely add music to my collection.

Either way, thanks for Subsonic! I may just have to donate again.

[quintonql]

Dear all,

Ok, I screwed this one up big time!

I'm very sorry for not announcing/discussing the introduction of ads in the Android app prior to the update.
It was never my intention to step on the toes of my most loyal users.

The background for the change was that the income from selling server-side licenses has continuously dropped during the last year (perhaps not surprisingly since they are lifetime licenses). So to be able to fund further development I was looking for alternatives. Since many of the other Subsonic smartphone apps are paid, I didn't think people would mind too much if the Android app too would be non-free. However, Google doesn't allow changing a free app to a paid one so that's why I chose to use ads instead.

Yes, I should have communicated this much better and I apologize for that. It was very bad form, indeed.

In the meantime I have prepared an ad-free version for anyone to download, see http://www.subsonic.org/pages/apps.jsp#android
(The version on Google Play is still ad-supported.)

I have also changed the language on the subsonic.org pages to more clearly reflect the changed circumstances.

Again, sorry for the terrible handling of all this!
Sindre

Sindre,

I saw the release of the new app with the ads. I've been a paid server supporter for years and was a bit surprised. I was also a bit peeved for a week or so, then finally registered on the forum and read your post.

After reading what you wrote above, I have just purchased the removal of ads from the Google Play store. You deserve it for making such a great product and you've impressed me with how open and honest you are. It's rare in for-profit software development, it seems.

Now if you can just figure out why after upgrading to 4.7 some of us are having issues with iSub (not your app) on the iPad I'll be all set.

Thank you again for the hard work,
Quinton

[NLclothing]

Thanks for letting us know what is going on Sindre!

At this point I feel like the only thing your app is really lacking in is the implementation of some of the new offerings the native android UI provides now, specifically expandable notifications and lockscreen controls.

Glad to see you giving the android app some love again!!

[vancamp]

I went ahead and updated the app (although I also don't like the adverts and more money for no real gain). Unfortunately, it seems to do a lousy (worse) job of managing the canvas on a tablet (Xoom), truncating the sides of my album art (and the fonts too small). Many of the other changes I like. However it would be nice to be able to just play the album by pressing the album picture when it's selected in the library.

[jesusice]

Thanks for letting us know what is going on Sindre!

At this point I feel like the only thing your app is really lacking in is the implementation of some of the new offerings the native android UI provides now, specifically expandable notifications and lockscreen controls.

Glad to see you giving the android app some love again!!

Those are not minor features either. Notification controls and lock screen controls have been standard for Android players for quite some time now.

[shadow.8]

Thanks for letting us know what is going on Sindre!

At this point I feel like the only thing your app is really lacking in is the implementation of some of the new offerings the native android UI provides now, specifically expandable notifications and lockscreen controls.

Glad to see you giving the android app some love again!!

Those are not minor features either. Notification controls and lock screen controls have been standard for Android players for quite some time now.

FWIW dSub has had these features for a while....

[iwill]

... implementation of some of the new offerings the native android UI provides now, specifically expandable notifications and lockscreen controls.

I'd like to second this.

Adjusting the overall UI interaction flow of the app to be more in line with Android standards would be nice as well. I'm specifically talking about side swiping to switch between the home, library, playlists, and now playing tabs. Alternatively/also, implementing the top "bread crumb" navigation between the "Now Playing" screen and everything else would be nice. In general, I think the design of the Google Music Play app is a great example to follow.

[jesusice]

Thanks for letting us know what is going on Sindre!

At this point I feel like the only thing your app is really lacking in is the implementation of some of the new offerings the native android UI provides now, specifically expandable notifications and lockscreen controls.

Glad to see you giving the android app some love again!!

Those are not minor features either. Notification controls and lock screen controls have been standard for Android players for quite some time now.

FWIW dSub has had these features for a while....

Yup, that's why I bought it. I'll gladly buy the official SS app but not until such basic amenities are added.