Apple Extends Deadline for Several Upcoming App Requirements for Developers
Apple today announced that it is extending several deadlines that will eventually require apps to be built on SDKs designed for the most recent iOS and watchOS updates and incorporate iOS 13 features.
Apple will not require developers to meet the below requirements until June 30, 2020.

- Apps for iPhone or iPad must be built with the iOS 13 SDK or later and use an Xcode storyboard to provide the app's launch screen.
- iPhone apps must support all iPhone screens and all iPad apps must support all iPad screens.
- Apps for Apple Watch must be built with the watchOS 6 SDK or later.
- Apps that authenticate or set up user accounts must support Sign in with Apple if required by guideline 4.8 of the App Store Review Guidelines.
- Apps in the Kids category must be in full compliance with guideline 1.3 and guideline 5.1.4. of the App Store Review Guidelines.
- Apps using HTML 5 must be in full compliance with guideline 4.7 sections 4, 5, and 6 of the App Store Review Guidelines.
Notably, apps will not be required to adopt Sign in with Apple or comply with new guidelines for apps designed for children until the end of June.
Apple says the deadlines are being extended to accommodate developers who may need additional time to update their apps on the App Store. Apple was previously requiring developers to meet these deadlines in April 2020.
Popular Stories
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Below, we have recapped eight new features and...
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports.
Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID.
iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware.
iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3.
The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System > Software Update....
Top Rated Comments
Not only do you have to pay an annual premium in addition to 30% of your profits, but you'd better keep investing in Apple's new hardware and software (no matter how crummy it is), otherwise you're cut off. How is this much different from sharecropping (which is only marginally better than slavery)?
And don't pigeonhole me as an Apple-hater. Apple's done a lot of good in their history, but their present track record of corporate greed (PR stunts notwithstanding) has got to stop.
Further, even those apps that have been taken down from sale are still available in your purchase history. I have apps I bought when the App Store opened in 2008 that are still there, some of which never got updated, and while many of them can't be downloaded to my iOS 13 device due to simple compatibility issues, they actually still download and work fine on my original iPhone that's of course still running "iOS" 3. For example, a couple of weeks ago I came across the original Missile Command for iPhone, which was so short-lived that most people have forgotten that Atari ever released an earlier one.
In short, Apple almost never removes an app from the App Store permanently unless it's actually violating App Store Review Guidelines or there's some kind of official take-down request (e.g. DMCA, Chinese government, etc). There are a handful that have disappeared from my purchase history for reasons like those, but they're few and far between (and even then, Apple doesn't throw its "kill switch" to take them off your device).
I think for most developers that ship already sailed a long time ago. Other than those that simply haven't been updated in years, I can't think of too many apps that still support even iOS 8, and even iOS 9 compatibility has gotten pretty rare. My mom had an iPhone 4S until recently, and she was always stuck with apps that were about three or four versions behind, although I'm sure those older versions will still continue to be available.
If I were a indie I think I'd be supporting only back to 12 right now, iPhone 6 has been quite popular so you want to have those customers.
Keeping compatibility can be a burden sometimes, so I don't blame devs who want to drop support as soon as possibile.