SongSheet Pro 3.5 marks a major milestone in the history of SongSheet. Back when it was first released in November 2012, it was an iPad-only app. I did not envision that there would be any demand for such an app on the much smaller (at the time 3.5-inch) screens of the iPhone. Since that time larger iPhones were released, and I would receive the occasional email from a user puzzled as to why there wasn’t an iPhone version.

With the advent of split-view multitasking for iPad, I revisited the concept of an iPhone version. Doing the work to support split-view on iPad would have the benefit of getting the app most of the way to working on the iPhone. However, precisely because it was a lot of extra work, I decided to make the iPhone version a separate purchase.

SongSheet for iPhone launched just over three years ago, in September, 2016. At the same time, I launched an app bundle for the iPhone, containing SongSheet and my other app, Reverse Chord Finder Pro. Predictably, despite there being far more iPhones out there than iPads, sales of the iPhone version were only ever a small fraction of those of the iPad version. I have also noticed that over time fewer and fewer apps offer separate iPad and iPhone versions. The truth is that people just expect an app to run on both iPhone and iPad. And with the advent of iOS 12 in 2018, in the App Store on iPad, Apple started showing iPhone-only apps alongside iPad apps by default. This meant that someone who searched for “SongSheet” on the iPad would see two results. Which one was the right one to buy? It wasn’t immediately obvious. I’ve received not a few emails from people who have accidentally bought the iPhone version when they really wanted the iPad version.

Finally, from a development point of view, it is certainly easier to maintain one app, instead of two!

So, with version 3.5, released today, I’ve taken the step of officially retiring the standalone iPhone version. SongSheet for iPhone is no more. SongSheet Pro for iPad is now SongSheet Pro for iPad and iPhone. It is finally a universal app! Purchasing it on one device will now make it available on all your devices.

I’m still an indie developer, trying to make a living on the App Store; nothing is for free. As this represents a change in the overall value proposition, I have also raised the price of SongSheet Pro slightly for new customers. If you are an existing customer, don’t worry: you won’t be charged again. This is a free update. If you have previously bought both versions of SongSheet, then I am extremely grateful for your support; you have helped SongSheet get to where it is today.

Dark Mode support

SongSheet has always had a built-in theme engine, allowing the user to switch between built-in light and dark modes, as well as allowing custom themes to be created. Dark themes are especially useful when performing in a dark environment where you don’t want the iPad lighting up your face!

With iPad OS 13 and iOS 13, Apple has released an official system-wide Dark mode. It is now quite easy to flick your whole iPad, and all its apps, into Dark mode.

So it made sense to me to embrace the distinction between the iPad’s default and Dark modes.

SongSheet’s theme engine is still there, but it has been enhanced to recognise that when you as a user put your iPad into Dark mode, you specifically want a dark theme to be selected in SongSheet. So, if you currently have a light theme selected, then switch to Dark mode, SongSheet will automatically select a dark theme. If you switch dark themes in Dark mode, SongSheet will remember which dark theme you last used, and select that the next time you enter Dark mode.

This means that all you need to do in order to get ready to perform on stage is switch your whole iPad to Dark mode, and SongSheet will be ready to go!

If you have automatic updates turned on, you’ll get the new version automatically. Otherwise go to the Updates tab in the App Store app on your iPad and find the update there! And don’t forget to go download it on your iPhone, too!

Comments welcome

As always, I’m always keen to hear from my customers - what you like, don’t like, what you think would make SongSheet better for however it is you use it!

Until next time!

– Gabriel
Developer of SongSheet Pro