Ultimate US Public Campground Project App is no longer

[MarinBlaine]

I got a new iPad today.

When i attempted to download the Ultimate Public Campground app it was nowhere to be found in the apple App Store. When I went to the website I was informed they are no longer and have been sold to Garmin. Annoyingly, it seems you need a RV-specific Garmin device to avail yourself of this database.

I purchased this app only about 6 months ago!

I have a Garmin InReach and associated Earthmate app…but not sure if that will do it for me.

Anyway, I now need to figure out how to transfer the app from my old iPad…I think there is a way but I was trying to cleanse myself of legacy garbage from my old iPad so I didn’t transfer *everything* over.

What a loss. What a drag.

Any suggestions short of dragging my old iPad around with me? You would have thought there would have been some sort of notification of the sunset, admittedly I’d not been in the app for a couple of months.

[larrie]

Bummer. I use that app a lot. If you backed up your iPad to your computer or cloud you may be able to pull the app from that. Also did you look at your purchase history to see if you can get from there?

[MarinBlaine]

Originally Posted by larrie

Also did you look at your purchase history to see if you can get from there?

Larrie, you are the man! Purchase history got it back for me!

Woo hoo!

That’s what this forum is all about!

[86Scotty]

Mine is still there as of this morning. Looks like it works as it always has. Interesting news though. Hopefully they don't bother with it, though I'm sure we'll start seeing ads.

Thanks for the news Marin!

[ctb]

GREAT AP!!!! We have both the US and Canada versions...ALWAYS/EVERY trip we use it! REMEMBER (now if I could remember the members name...lol) that app maker is a Member here and is on the Forum from time to time...

[Twoxentrix]

Originally Posted by ctb

GREAT AP!!!! We have both the US and Canada versions...ALWAYS/EVERY trip we use it!

We use both as well - My i-phone apps show no loss of function, but I'll have to check the i-pad now since that's the go-to for us while traveling.
Thanks for the heads-up MarinBlaine!

[MarinBlaine]

I don't think those that have the app are going to lose functionality. That's why I was so happy to be able to download it onto my new ipad via the backdoor Larrie shared.



Their website is basically an announcement of the change and the Garmin update: https://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/


Net-net, if you have it installed you will be able to keep using it, but looks like it will cease to be updated. And our brothers and sisters who don't have it will be out of luck unless you figure out the Garmin angle...but obviously that's much more $$ than the nominal cost of the app when I paid for it.


I would be curious about the chain of events that resulted in the buyout, but ultimately good for the developer who hopefully made some money off the deal.

[larrie]

Glad that solution worked. Was not sure if it would.

[86Scotty]

FYI, the developer of this and some other similar apps is a member here. Obviously he has sold his software but he might be able to share a bit if he sees this.

[rionapo]

Sad but part of the trend. GaiaGPS to Outside, others whose names I don’t recall but may lookup later. I’ve had many email conversations with the original developer, William Modesitt, over the years. He deserves our thanks for breaking new ground in the backcountry world and deserves whatever financial reward he receives for his products even though losing his camping app to Garmin hurts. Others are for sale as well. (See here.) Among them, Road Trip Planner will hopefully survive in some manner though it doesn’t appear in the App Store.

So far, GaiaGPS seems unchanged with its sale though it is now bundled with magazine subscription in addition to standalone sales in the App Store. An expensive bundle, too. Speaking of Outside, we can probably thank them for hyping #vanlife, which (along with covid) is a key reason for these acquisitions, I’m sure.