Introducing the TexAgs iOS app

by James · December 7, 2022

HOW, AGS. Well, the rumors are true – We’ve been working hard for the past couple of years and are very excited to announce the new TexAgs iOS app!

It is available starting today in the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

The most common question we get when someone finds out we’re developing an app is: “But… why? The mobile site works great.” First, THANK YOU. We’re proud of our current mobile web experience and believe it’s the best in the business, and don’t worry because it’s not going anywhere.

That said, there are several benefits that a native app provides: things like push notifications, the ability to control how video and audio play, and a faster and smoother user interface, among others. We felt that these things in particular were significant enough to take the plunge.

As with all platform redesigns, the interface may take some getting used to, but if you’re familiar with our mobile site, you should be able to pick things up pretty quickly. And our bet is that you will ultimately prefer the app experience. One thing to note is that we have many features and pages still to be added. You can see our list of known issues and planned development at the top of the Technical Support Forum.

In terms of access, while non-subscribers can download the app and read stories for free, a TexAgs Basic subscription unlocks the vast majority of the app’s functionality, including reading and interacting on the forums. You must subscribe or manage your subscription on our website – that process is not available in the app.

Finally, we just wanted to acknowledge the hard work of our development team: Garrett Oelze (gman4455), Josh Oelze (ooshwa), and Stewart Wade (Stewade). All three have been working on this project for a very long time, but none put in nearly as many hours as Garrett. Being the sole software engineer for an app like this is no easy task – he’s been running on pure caffeine for the past week trying to meet our release deadline. All three of us are excited to finally release it for you!

We’ve posted a list of frequently asked questions below, so if you have a question or need help, check them out first. If you don’t find your answer there, please post a new topic in the Technical Support Forum as opposed to rummaging through other forums.

Okay, enough talking! If you want to go ahead and jump right in, click here to go to the App Store.

Thanks and Gig ‘Em,
Development team

Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions

“But why? The mobile site works great.”

There are several advantages that a native app offers over a mobile website.

1. Push notifications
We’ve completely overhauled the “Watchlist” and created a robust, fully customizable notification system. So whether you want a breaking news alert, recruiting updates from Billy, Ryan and Jason, or whenever Gary79Ag posts Longhorn tears, you can easily set these up.

2. Media player functions
One of our favorite things about the new app is the ability to control the audio and video player. You will now have the option to do things like hide the player and continue browsing the page if you want. It is now also easier to play audio files in the background or view picture-in-picture while using other apps.

3. Improved user interface
Another benefit of an app is a faster, smoother and more dynamic user interface. One big change you’ll notice is infinite scrolling in the forums. You no longer need to press the button to go to the next page – just keep scrolling! Everything should just feel smoother and faster: jumping in and out of threads, posting replies, switching forums, etc.

Are you planning to release an Android version?

Yes! We are only launching an iOS version today, but we have built the app on a platform that makes it easier for us to spin up an Android version. We don’t have a timeline on that yet, but we’ll do our best to keep you informed.

Who can access the TexAgs app?

Anyone can download and install the app! However, you need a Basic subscription to unlock the main features, including reading and interacting on all forums. As always, you also need a Premium subscription to access Premium content and a Varsity subscription to access the Varsity forum. You must subscribe or manage your subscription on our website – that process is not available in the app.

How do I learn to use the app?

When you open the app for the first time, a short app tour will appear on the screen – swipe right to learn some of the basics. We also hope it’s pretty intuitive, and if you’re familiar with our mobile site, you should get the hang of the app pretty quickly. If you can’t figure anything out, feel free to post a topic on the Technical Support Forum and we’ll do our best to help!

What if I find an error? Can I report it somewhere?

Before reporting a bug, be sure to check the known issues thread on the technical support forum. If you don’t see it listed there (or another topic about the same issue), please feel free to post a new topic in the technical support forum.

Why is _______ missing from the app?

While we decided this version of the app was stable enough to release publicly, there are a few things available on the website and not yet on the app (Search, Post of the Day, etc.). To see a list of planned development, check sticky thread on the technical support forum.

Want to add more features to the app?

Yes, there are many features we still plan to add, and in fact we plan to add a lot! To see a list of planned development, check sticky thread on the technical support forum.

Why was my desktop site changed?

When you log into the app for the first time, you’ll notice that the title bar on the desktop page will look a little different. You will now have a bell icon representing your notifications. This takes the place of the binoculars (formerly called the “Watchlist”) and is where you’ll find replies to threads you’ve bookmarked, along with alerts you’ve set up. Currently, you have to set up and manage notifications in the app, but eventually you’ll be able to do that from the desktop version as well. As for the mobile site, it remains unchanged for now and you’ll only see bookmarked threads and not notifications.