How can I get 1Password 5x for iOS 8.x?

So Agilebits is dictating how I set up my device? That's not right.

@KKBallard: No. You're dictating how you setup your device. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation. You can setup your device however you like, but using an old OS limits you in a lot of ways, and jailbreaking does the same. In order for us to offer 1Password on iOS, we work with the App Store. And the App Store just doesn't work the way you want it to in this case. If you already have the version of 1Password (or any app) downloaded on your computer, you can probably sync it to your iPhone. But the App Store doesn't support downloading arbitrary versions of app binaries.

The proper steps have been taken to make the device even more secure than an unjailbroken phone - both the mobile and root passwords were changed.

While the choice is yours to make, be aware that this comes with some tradeoffs with regard to what you can install. And — more importantly — security goes much deeper than changing passwords, and you won't have the benefit of hundreds of architectural improvements and fixes to core iOS frameworks and features (Safari, for example) released in the last half decade.

Being able to select an older version of the software is a consumer choice where we accept any consequences of our actions, e.g., not updating software for various reasons. I find your answer unsatisfactory from a consumer standpoint, especially when I see other apps providing the option to get an older version of their software when a newer version is not supported. Alternatively, Agilebits should make 1Password 6 for iOS backwards compatible.

We can't. Many of the technologies we're using in 1Password 6 are simply not available on old iOS versions. And I don't think it's reasonable to expect us (or any developer) to continually maintain multiple separate versions for obsolete OSes. You may not want to stay up to date to take advantage of all of the latest features and security improvements of the past 5 years, but we have a responsibility to the vast majority of our customers (and, frankly, to iOS users, of whom 79% are on iOS 10) not to hold 1Password back. Again, that choice is yours to make, but it does come with pros and cons on both sides. You just can't have it both ways, and it isn't possible or appropriate for us to try to make a run around Apple to try to help you accomplish that, especially when this would benefit so few users.

wkleem had a great example above. There are a lot of apps I still use today which are going to go away in the near future. Even if I appreciate that Apple is pushing the technology forward, it's inconvenient for me as well. But with those apps I truly don't have a choice once they're no longer available. With 1Password you at least have the option of a newer version that's compatible with modern iOS releases should you upgrade in the future (which you'll end up with if you get a new iPhone). I can't get a new version of my 32-bit-only apps, and it's important that we keep 1Password up to date so it does not suffer a similar fate in the future.

I am not dictating anything just pointing out that Apple has a lot of discretionary powers beyond our control. You tagged the wrong person.

@wkleem: You're right on all counts. That was a rather stupid mistake on my part. Sorry. :(

In the end, the biggest roadblock to development wasn’t the raw time, ideas, or dedication. It was that the platform (iOS mostly) continued to change under us. Yes, progress is good, and software continues to evolve. However, when major changes were required every 12 months just so that the software could continue to operate, it severely cuts into what additional development time is left over for the app itself. Apple has created a fantastic platform with iOS, but is doing a disservice to its developers."

This really sounds like a mismatched business model. It would be great to see them make a comeback now that Apple has added subscriptions to the App Store. It sounds like that would be a better fit for Photosmith, especially since adding RAW support for new cameras is necessarily an ongoing process.