Here’s how it works with JUCE 4.2. Also check out examples/AUv3Synth, it’s an example app we put together that illustrates all this.
- Enable AudioUnit v3 plug-in format in the Projucer settings
- Add an iOS exporter
Now you can compile your audio plug-in for iOS. It will create a Standalone app target and an AppExtension target:
If you compile and run that Standalone app on your iOS device, it will run your plug-in with a minimal standalone wrapper around it (essentially a full-screen app window and audio/MIDI input+output hooked up automatically). You can also customise this standalone no-host view so it looks different from the usual plug-in view if you like (adding a keyboard component and what not).
But the main feature is that once you run that app on your iPhone/iPad, it will automagically register the AppExtension version of itself. From that point on, this AppExtension (the actual plug-in) will be loadable on AUv3 iOS hosts like GarageBand and Cubasis.
If you have a JUCE licence, you can then go ahead and sell your app on the App Store!
Ideally this iOS port should even work out-of-the-box with your existing plug-ins. It’s pretty cool actually. Have fun!