Stockfish for iOS no longer in App Store!

[Steve Maughan]

I have a new iPhone and was dismayed to find Stockfish is no longer available to download from the App Store. I believe it was an old version of Stockfish, maybe v6 or v7, but it was a nice app and my go-to for quick analysis. Is it just because it hasn't been updated to be compatible with the latest iOS version? Is there any way to get it back?

I know there are other apps that use the Stockfish engine but the UX is (IMHO) terrible e.g. SmallFish.

Any other recommendations for iOS chess apps with a well thought out interface? I have HIARCS, Shredder, Chess Tiger.

— Steve

[Dariusz]

In addition to the apps you mentioned, I have been using Analyze This and FollowChess (by the same developer) for years. Both apps work great together.
Analyze This has a built-in Stockfish engine in the version.... 11. Unfortunately, in the iOS version of the app, the author does not add new features and does not update the Stockfish engine.

I also use Chessify, but much less frequently than the two mentioned above.
What else?
tChess, has pretty good features.
And occasionally Real Chess 3D, when I just want to play a game on a nice and clear chessboard.

A total departure is offered by Really Bad Chess, it's such a "different" chess
And last but not least, SocialChess, an application that has been making online play more enjoyable for me for years.

I have posted links to some of the applications here:
https://www.chessengeria.com/links

[ernest]

I know there are other apps that use the Stockfish engine but the UX is (IMHO) terrible e.g. SmallFish.

— Steve

What is UX (user interface ?) ?
I do use SmallFish on my iPad...

[Steve Maughan]

UX = User eXperience

[royb]

I have a new iPhone and was dismayed to find Stockfish is no longer available to download from the App Store. I believe it was an old version of Stockfish, maybe v6 or v7, but it was a nice app and my go-to for quick analysis. Is it just because it hasn't been updated to be compatible with the latest iOS version? Is there any way to get it back?

I know there are other apps that use the Stockfish engine but the UX is (IMHO) terrible e.g. SmallFish.

Any other recommendations for iOS chess apps with a well thought out interface? I have HIARCS, Shredder, Chess Tiger.

— Steve

Chess Studio uses Stockfish 15 and has both a good interface and decent database functionality as well.

[scchess]

The app is not available because it has not been updated for some time. You could recompile the app for the latest App Store.

I think we need to move on from the old days. All your mentioned favourite apps are bad. Hiarcs? Come up, this is 2023... If you like simple apps, Analyze This is a good one. However, if you are looking for more powerful app features, Chess Studio/SmallFish are ideal. Power always come with harder UI designs - there is no free lunch. Sounds like you want a simple app that you can just click buttons - try Analyze This.

[towforce]

The app is not available because it has not been updated for some time. You could recompile the app for the latest App Store.

I think we need to move on from the old days. All your mentioned favourite apps are bad. Hiarcs? Come up, this is 2023... If you like simple apps, Analyze This is a good one. However, if you are looking for more powerful app features, Chess Studio/SmallFish are ideal. Power always come with harder UI designs - there is no free lunch. Sounds like you want a simple app that you can just click buttons - try Analyze This.

Analyze This gets excellent ratings on the Play Store - link. Not sure it's available on iOS, which the OP was asking for.

[Steve Maughan]

I have them all: Analyze This, Chess Studio, SmallFish. They all have terrible user interfaces — clunky, and badly designed (IMHO). Tord did a great job when he created Stockfish for iOS.

Oh well — maybe I'll have to write my own app.

Steve

[scchess]

100% disagreed your statement that only the original Stockfish was good, in fact it was the other way... The world has changed a lot since the introduction of the app. This is not the same era as it used to be. We need to move forward and embrace the future not the past. I can bring back the Stockfish app to the App Store, but why not just move on? To me, the best app design is not my designed SmallFish or other mentions in this post, but "Really Bad Chess". I like the design very much, it's coded in Unity. I'm planning to do the next app release for something similar.

[scchess]

The app is not available because it has not been updated for some time. You could recompile the app for the latest App Store.

I think we need to move on from the old days. All your mentioned favourite apps are bad. Hiarcs? Come up, this is 2023... If you like simple apps, Analyze This is a good one. However, if you are looking for more powerful app features, Chess Studio/SmallFish are ideal. Power always come with harder UI designs - there is no free lunch. Sounds like you want a simple app that you can just click buttons - try Analyze This.

Analyze This gets excellent ratings on the Play Store - link. Not sure it's available on iOS, which the OP was asking for.

It's available on iOS. I have it on my iOS.