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iOS Can you update an app to require a higher IOS version?

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whitedragon101

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 11, 2008
1,336
334
I have an iPhone app on the store that requires IO7. I have just developed a new iPad interface to make it a universal app. However I just realised that one feature on my iPad interface (presenting a split view controller via a modal segue) is IOS8 only.


If I submit a new binary that has IOS8 as the deployment target will this happen (i hope) :

Current users on IOS8.0 and above:
Get an update and get to use it on iPad too

Current users on IOS7
Get no update as (I'm hoping) the app store detects the new update is IOS8.0 minimum

New users
Have to have IOS8 or above to use the new universal app


What I don't want:


Current iPhone users get the update and it crashes/won't run as they don't have IOS8.0

The app store uses the original IOS7.0 minimum and ignores the deployment target in the new binary. People download the iPad app on IO7 iPads and it crashes.
 
dejo

dejo

Moderator emeritus
Sep 2, 2004
15,982
452
The Centennial State
Yeah, as long as you set the Deployment Target to the minimum you want to support you should be okay.

For more details, see "Setting the Deployment Target" in the App Distribution Guide.

The deployment target setting specifies the lowest operating system version that your app can run on.
Click to expand...

Note: The SDK version, not the deployment target, determines which features you can use in an app. If the SDK you’re using to build the app is more recent than the app’s deployment target, Xcode displays build warnings when it detects that your app is using a feature that’s unavailable in the deployment target.
Click to expand...
 
W

whitedragon101

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 11, 2008
1,336
334
dejo said:
Yeah, as long as you set the Deployment Target to the minimum you want to support you should be okay.

For more details, see "Setting the Deployment Target" in the App Distribution Guide.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your help. I had a read and it was useful but I could not determine what happens to existing users when you increase the IOS version. The main thing that concerns me is the existing users on IOS 7 who purchased the iPhone app as IOS 7 minimum.

Could the following happen ? :

The app updates automatically on their phones and then not load as they are not on IOS 8+

They are no longer able to download the app after they delete it because the latest version is IOS 8+ only.
 
M

mjohnson1212

macrumors member
Nov 15, 2007
92
11
It won't download a version of the app where the deployment target is greater than the current OS version.

Apple eventually allowed users of older OS versions to download the latest version of your app that supports their OS version.
 
PhoneyDeveloper

PhoneyDeveloper

macrumors 68040
Sep 2, 2008
3,114
93
A device or iTunes won't download or install an app that can't run based on deployment target or other requirements.

If at all possible you should consider if you can make it run, perhaps with some limitations, on the older OS. If I understand what you're saying this doesn't affect iPhone users at all, just on iPad. OTOH, I think all iPads that can run iOS 7 can also run iOS 8 so anyone that really want's your app on iPad can have it.

Anyway, it might be possible for your app to determine at run time that the feature it needs isn't available and instead do something a little different.

If the difference really is iPhone vs iPad you could have two apps.
 
W

whitedragon101

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 11, 2008
1,336
334
mjohnson1212 said:
It won't download a version of the app where the deployment target is greater than the current OS version.

Apple eventually allowed users of older OS versions to download the latest version of your app that supports their OS version.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. That second part could be the answer to my prayers.
Is downloading the latest version of the app that supports their OS version transparent to the user? i.e will it do the following? :

IOS 7 users who bought the iPhone app as an IO 7 app could still delete and download the app from the cloud as the app store will automatically download the highest version of the app that is IOS 7 compatible.

(crossing fingers)
 
M

mjohnson1212

macrumors member
Nov 15, 2007
92
11
I just tried it on an iOS 6 device for an app that now requires iOS v7.1.

When I went to install the app it told me that the app is not compatible with my OS release do I want to download the latest version that is compatible.

The app was one that I had previously had on the device and have deleted.
 
W

whitedragon101

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 11, 2008
1,336
334
mjohnson1212 said:
I just tried it on an iOS 6 device for an app that now requires iOS v7.1.

When I went to install the app it told me that the app is not compatible with my OS release do I want to download the latest version that is compatible.

The app was one that I had previously had on the device and have deleted.
Click to expand...

Can't tell you how much that helps. I had images of 1000 angry users contacting apple with pitch forks complaining about "the update that killed my app."

Thank you so much.
 
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