Are the Igowin iPhone and iPad Apps Still Available?

Updated

No. The Igowin go-playing and training apps for iPod, iPhone, and iPad are no longer available. According to Smart Games, these apps were sold under the Igowin name from 2010 to 2020, but Apple made incompatible changes to its software and removed them from the App Store. Searching the App Store for Igowin will therefore not turn up a working download.

What happened to the iOS apps

Smart Games states plainly on its site that the iOS apps were discontinued for two reasons:

  • Apple introduced software changes that made the existing apps incompatible.
  • Apple removed them from the App Store.

The company's wording is that "they are no longer available." There is no indication on the site of a planned return or replacement iOS release, so treat the iPhone/iPad version as retired rather than temporarily missing.

What you can still use instead

If your goal was a free 9x9 Go program with a tutorial that adjusts to your strength, Smart Games still offers a Windows equivalent:

Option Platform Status on site
Igowin iOS app iPod, iPhone, iPad No longer available
Free 9x9 Go player and tutorial Windows XP through Windows 10 Available as a free download
Many Faces of Go 12.0 (evaluation) Windows; Mac via WINE, Crossover, or Parallels Free evaluation download, full version requires a purchased license
Many Faces of Go for clusters Windows Server 2008 clusters using MPI Free download

The free Windows 9x9 program is described as adjusting to your strength as you learn and never repeating a game — the same training idea the iOS apps were built around, just on desktop.

Practical notes before you download

  • Check your OS first. The free 9x9 player is listed for Windows XP through Windows 10. If you are on Windows 11 or a modern Mac, the site does not state support, so verify before relying on it.
  • Mac users are pointed to WINE, Crossover, or Parallels for Many Faces of Go, not for the free 9x9 program specifically.
  • Licensing: Many Faces of Go 12.0 is a free download, but unlocking the full version requires buying a version 12 license to receive registration keys. The site also notes a free update to version 12.024 that fixes Windows registration code issues — relevant if you already own a key.
  • Don't hunt for the app store listing. Since Apple removed the apps, old links or search results may lead nowhere.

Bottom line

The Igowin iOS apps are gone and cannot be downloaded again through official channels. For a free, adaptive 9x9 Go tutor, the Windows download from Smart Games is the remaining option on the site; for stronger play and study tools, the Many Faces of Go evaluation is the next step up.