Screens 5: Desktop remoto VNC 4+

Used to be good, now it’s just another subscription

I’ve always loved Screens, because it allowed me to connect to my MacBook from my phone and iPad on any occasion I needed. I’ve never used it as main driver because it has a significant bug where, even if you use tools on your Mac to change the screen resolution so that it matches perfectly the iPad resolution, Screens will not be able to go full screen and you’ll find yourself with dark lines on the edges (I contacted the developer on this and they just answered with a generic template saying that macOS doesn’t support adapting the resolution over VNC, which is not only wrong, but also not the point of my report).

In any case, it used to be a good piece of software, working decently for non-professional use. I paid the full price for it and was happy for years.

Now, they switched to a subscription model: I work in software development, I understand you have to make money… but nothing for existing users? I paid the full price before and now I’m left with an insignificant discount on the yearly subscription? Not even a discount on the “no subscription” option??

I don’t understand how the developer is hoping to have users pay a monthly of yearly fee for even connecting to a computer via VNC over the local network. I understand paying to be able to connect to my computer across the Internet… but on the local network? Using an open source protocol? Other competitors that are even greedier with their business model allow this for free.

In a normal world, I would’ve expected to be able to stay on the previous version, of course not expecting any new feature nor update… but also that’s not possible, because the previous version has been removed from the App Store.

It’s really sad to see good apps going away. I’ll be happy to revisit my review if the business model changes.

Risposta dello sviluppatore ,

Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately, the built-in Screen Sharing service on macOS does not support resizing the display to fit your iOS device. Regarding our transition to a subscription model, it was necessary for us to secure the revenue needed to maintain and enhance the app. However, we do offer a Lifetime plan for those who prefer a one-time purchase option. Finally, Screens 4 remains accessible for those who previously purchased it through the "Purchased" section of the App Store (see https://support.apple.com/en-us/102417). If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us at screens@edovia.com. Have a fantastic day!