Apple today announced that all new and updated iPhone and iPad apps submitted to the App Store on and after March 27, 2019 must be built with the iOS 12.1 SDK or later and support the ‌iPhone‌ XS Max and/or the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro. ‌App Store‌ screenshots for those devices will also be required.

ipad pro iphone xs max
Likewise, all new apps and app updates for Apple Watch will need to be built with the watchOS 5.1 SDK or later and support the Apple Watch Series 4.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

lyricthejoe Avatar
90 months ago
Awesome! Not going to miss seeing those bars on the top and bottom of the screen.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Maclver Avatar
90 months ago
About time! It shouldn't be that difficult for developers to make these adjustments.....
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
subjonas Avatar
90 months ago
12.9 came out in 2015. They’re starting to require support 4 years later...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigBossTony Avatar
90 months ago
what about 11-inch iPad Pro? a lot of apps still not running in fullscreen...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
90 months ago
About time! It shouldn't be that difficult for developers to make these adjustments.....
This is also a good way for Apple to keep the riff-raff out of the store. I just wish apps "expired" and disappeared if no updates have been submitted for at least two years.
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Interesting that a lot of devs seemingly haven’t found it important to add support until Apple forced them to. Wonder if that says anything about product demand/usage.
Some devs are just in it to make a quick buck. They don't actually care about offering a solid app or a good user experience. They don't care about the app or the users, only the money. It's great that Apple keeps raising the bar like this. Make them devs work!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Remy149 Avatar
90 months ago
Does that mean Instagram is finally going to be iPad friendly?
No because they don’t offer an iPad app so they aren’t required to follow anything but the iPhone standards
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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