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Apple Requiring All New Apps and App Updates to be Built With iOS 12 SDK by March 2019

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appstorelogocleanApple today asked developers to begin submitting apps that take advantage of new features in iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and macOS Mojave ahead of the upcoming launch of the new software updates.

You can now submit apps that take advantage of the powerful new capabilities in the next release of iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Build your apps using Xcode 10 GM seed, test with the latest releases of iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, and submit them for review.

According to Apple, all new apps and app updates for iPhone, including universal apps, will be need to be built with the iOS 12 SDK and will need to include support for the iPhone XS Max starting in March 2019.

All new apps and app updates for Apple Watch will need to be built with the watchOS 5 SDK and will need to support Apple Watch Series 4 by the same date.

Apple plans to release iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and new software for the HomePod on Monday, September 17. Apple will release macOS Mojave a week later on Monday, September 24.

Top Rated Comments

ajgraves Avatar
98 months ago
There are still apps that are not updated for the original X... how about they start enforcing there?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
az431 Avatar
98 months ago
Can the iOS 12 SDK target iOS 10 or iOS 11, or does this mean that anyone not running iOS 12 is not going to be able to get app updates?
That's not what it means. The developer decides which OS versions to target when compiling the app. We generally don't target more than two iOS versions older than the current iOS version (iOS 10), but some developers are going back as far as iOS 8.

If the developer stops supporting an iOS version you will not receive any further app updates.
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I said updates to the apps that already exist, meaning I thought when developers submitted an update it HAD to include support for the X. To me, support means scaling to fit the entire screen, etc. not just using the iOS 11/12 sdk, right? Like if they have to build the apps using the new SDK wouldn’t (or I guess shouldn’t) developers have to scale their apps accordingly?? This sounds like the iPhone 4 retina issue and iPhone 6+ scaling issue all over again *screams internally*



Ahhh okay. So this is to just to ensure support for something like say Shortcuts app? Just to make sure it works with iOS 12 not necessarily the UI? I thought they’d be basically intertwined as you need to use the iOS 12 SDK which kinda means you need to scale and make sure your app(s) support the larger screens (X, XS and Max)?
Building the app with the iOS 12 SDK means compiling the code to upload to Apple, nothing more. There is no requirement that a developer scale their apps or adapt their UI for newer devices, though if there was a major issue it would be flagged on app review.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
98 months ago
There are still apps that are not updated for the original X... how about they start enforcing there?
There are still apps that scale the resolution from the 4" phones (5/5s) to the iPhone 6/7/8's, and the apps are regularly updated.

It's a major pisser for me for a few apps that I use regularly that still haven't upgraded to even the 6/7/8 resolutions, much less the X.

I wonder if that will finally force them to make the apps scale properly on all larger phones.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
98 months ago
I hope this doesn't mean that another batch of older apps is set to become obsolete if they're not updated. I've already lost enough of them.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
98 months ago
OMG. I understand the big push to 64 bit, but Apple refusing to support their own code base for even a whole year is just bizarre.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
98 months ago
Not surprising. Keep up and keep building on the current platform.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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