Lifespan of Mobile Applications

I apologize if this post is more nonsensical than normal as tears are flowing from one eye and have a running nose due to a cold or fever. It's the third day of the sickness and from previously experiences, the worst day. I'm extremely fortunate to have someone take care of me and look out for me.

So, one of my most used applications has basically lost its support from its developer, Autodesk Sketchbook Mobile. Essentially it is an application in which you can sketch quickly. It's extremely convenient in so many situations especially when you need to draft something up really quickly.

So how did it lose support for such a simple application? Well, the export function is broken. And the application doesn't seem to be on the Play Store anymore. It hasn't been updated since April 1, 2014.

I think I paid $4.99 or so for the application a couple years ago and it was been well worth the price. Anyone have a recommendation for a sketch/drafting app for mobile?

It's easy to see why applications that profit of user data, number of active users, DLCs, and ads need to continuously update their apps. For those that profit only from the initial purchase, it's about creating a satisfied customer base and building their reputation to being a respectable developer (potentially use that to persuade customers to use their other products). It's all about the branding in a world that's ruled by brands.

But this has got me thinking, how long do people expect application support when they pay for applications? Should/Would you be upset if an application you paid $.99 lost support after a year? Should updates for newer device support be included in the price as well? (Though fragmentation has been significantly reduced) Can first time purchases really sustain lifetime worth of updates? I guess it could be possible for applications that only require pure maintenance.