32-Bit Apps No Longer Supported in iOS 11

[pubwvj]

I've never submitted an app, but do they submit source code? If not, How can they recompile if only binaries are submitted?

I'm a programmer and have written both compilers and cross compilers. You don't need the source code. If you have the final program you can run it through a cross compiler, a just-in-time compiler or just emulate to run it on different hardware. That list is in order of efficiency and preference. This is not a hard task. Apple has done it before.

I don't think this is that easy of a problem to solve, and why should the onus be on Apple to update old stuff? I don't understand that logic at all.

It is an easy problem. The logic is also quite simple. The reason Apple should be interested in doing this is it adds value for their customers because the software you use today will run tomorrow and because it maximizes the Apple application ecosystem which Apple likes to crow about in their marketing materials, ads, etc.

 

[ackmondual]

Well, I guess I will finally have to say goodbye to the good old AppShopper app.

So when is the appshopper app going to be updated?

The AppShopper app hasn't been updated for 4" screen support, let alone 64-bit support. As much as I hate to see this... good riddance? It's not like App Shopper is completely gone. You can always access it via web browser.
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This sucks donkey balls. The apps work just fine and yes, a lot of them are paid.

I heard cases where apps get heavily discounted since the devs have no intention of updating to 64-bit compatibility. I don't know if that's a good thing or not... it has less value since it won't make the jump past 64-bit. But then some users I'm sure would believe or just assume that it'll continue to get support! (If the dev made this known up front, then that's another matter entirely.

 

[RudySnow]

To be fair though you didn't need to have any foresight as Apple is placing a large badge on the app when you open it.

Point being, since Apple gave us consumers and developers AMPLE time to figure out how to move forward with what are now “antiquated” apps, I chose to find a solution vs. coming to the MR forums and griping about Apple as a lot of forum members are doing.

I should also point out that for many other apps I found replacements that were future-compliant. I realize that can’t be done for every app; thus, my off-loading to an older iOS device.

 

[ErikGrim]

The reason Apple should be interested in doing this is it adds value for their customers because the software you use today will run tomorrow and because it maximizes the Apple application ecosystem which Apple likes to crow about in their marketing materials, ads, etc.

Just by sheer volume of apps, Apple isn't losing much of anything.

 

[AFDoc]

Yep, as I predicted weeks ago.

Nostradamus you are... any other insight?
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Sadly, nowhere was it stated that you paid for perpetual support.

LoL that's a dumb thing to say..... so if you pay for something you don't expect to be able to use what you paid for?

 

[inscrewtable]

I chose to find a solution vs. coming to the MR forums and griping about Apple as a lot of forum members are doing.

MR has gone way downhill over the past few years and is more a forum to bitch and gripe. Almost getting as bad as a non Apple site, take this recent guardian headline that iOS 11 will render your phone 'obsolete' as if you can't use your phone. Strangely enough my iPhone 4 that only loads iOS 7 is still not 'obsolete'

 

[einsteinbqat]

OK, I haven't read the whole discussion thread, therefore I'm sorry if someone answered already, but is there a way to know what apps are 32 bits in the iTunes Apps Library (on a computer)?

I don't have 32-bit apps on my iPhone (no app listed on the App Compatibility list), but just wanted to remove 32-bit app from my computer. Thanks.

 

[firewood]

This is far from the first time that Apple has done this. They dropped support for BASIC and 6502 apps, for 68000 Mac apps that weren't 32-bit clean, then for all 68000 apps, for pre-Cocoa/Carbon apps, for PowerPC apps, for floppys, serial and IR ports, etc. etc. Likely not to be the last time either.

Welcome to obsolescence of even what you buy next year (because there's even newer stuff in the lab that won't ship for 2, 3, 5 years out.)

The devs have time. Most of the app devs should update their apps to 64 bit in coming months.

Many devs of old 32-bit iOS app are no longer in business, not paying $99/annum, not buying $$$ new Macs needed to run the current macOS and Xcode tools needed to update anything. Also not spending lots of time learning how Apple changed all those old APIs for apps that didn't pay for beer, much less the rent.

So it's not gonna happen, no matter how much time they have. App development does not grow on trees (even Apple trees).

 

[Santiago]

What apple should do is automatically cross recompile the old apps to work on the new hardware.

I've never submitted an app, but do they submit source code? If not, How can they recompile if only binaries are submitted?

This is partly why Apple developed BitCode, where you don't submit the final compiled machine code, but an intermediate LLVM representation that they can then compile on-demand for the specific architecture on a given phone, even devices that haven't been created when you submitted the app. BitCode is currently optional for iOS apps, but mandatory for WatchOS (thereby giving them the freedom to change to entirely different processor architectures with future watch generations).

 

[InuNacho]

This is far from the first time that Apple has done this. They dropped support for BASIC and 6502 apps, for 68000 Mac apps that weren't 32-bit clean, then for all 68000 apps, for Cocoa apps, for PowerPC apps, for floppys, serial and IR ports, etc. etc. Likely not to be the last time either.

While true there were always work arounds for situations like this like the Apple IIe card, Rosetta, booting onto a different paratition/drive or not even upgrading at all.
There are no alternatives in the iOS world outside of skipping an update and living with nagware and automatic downloads.

 

[jjvdhoef]

HotSpot has a limited GB / Mo, Cellular Data is unlimited and unthrottled. I don't feel like paying $20 a day to watch Netflix on my apple tv.

Ow that may be a limitation in your country. Over here I can just create a hotspot with my device and leech off my cellular plan. Yay for European consumer law

 

[Reason077]

I had a couple of games that I enjoyed playing that were 32-bit. However, I had the foresight to download them a few months ago to an iPad 2 so that I can keep playing them in perpetuity... or as long as the battery holds out!

Same. Still have my iPad 2, purchased on the day they were released, running iOS 6.

The browser is admittedly a bit clunky by modern standards, but it's awesome for games, still fast, and the battery life is still great.

 

[Tech198]

This is far from the first time that Apple has done this. They dropped support for BASIC and 6502 apps, for 68000 Mac apps that weren't 32-bit clean, then for all 68000 apps, for Cocoa apps, for PowerPC apps, for floppys, serial and IR ports, etc. etc. Likely not to be the last time either.

Welcome to obsolescence of even what you buy next year (because there's even newer stuff in the lab that won't ship for 2, 3, 5 years out.)



Many devs of old 32-bit iOS app are no longer in business, not paying $99/annum, not buying $$$ new Macs needed to run the current macOS and Xcode tools needed to update anything. Also not spending lots of time learning how Apple changed all those old APIs for apps that didn't pay for beer, much less the rent.

So it's not gonna happen, no matter how much time they have. App development does not grow on trees (even Apple trees).

Apple trees would at least be something to pick at..

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

This is a shame. I still have Star Wars: Battle of Hoth on my phones and iPads. I purchased it in 2010! It was a great little tower defence game and my kids have just discovered it.

The end of 32-bit support was inevitable though.

 

[tgara]

Great news. A bit tired of old apps that looks like they were designed for an iPhone 4 screen. This news should be a kick in the butt for devs with older apps to spend some time updating them.

Indeed, and while they are at it they should make sure that their apps are fully compatible with all of Apple's devices. As it stands, some apps are not supported properly in the large format iPad Pro or iPhone 7 Plus.

In parallel, I think the App Store should get more aggressive in making sure the apps are properly configured for all of Apple's devices. Maybe make some exceptions here and there as needed (games for instance), but the general policy should be that an app should work and display properly on all of Apple's iOS platforms.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

LOL oh my lord, I'm so glad I'm not the only one using the AppShopper app. Anyone can suggest an alternative?

There is no app based alternative as Apple doesn't like apps that compete with its own App Store. However appshopper does have a website. As clunky as that solution is, it is likely the only solution we will ever have.

 

[TheScribe]

Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Tetris and Google Earth.

I may be able to get another version of Tetris and surely Google Earth will be updated...but my other games? I still play them all the time. They're some of my favorites. It's enough to keep me from upgrading to 11 on my 6s+. It's my only device and I don't have money for another one.

I'm upset.

 

[mi7chy]

MR has gone way downhill over the past few years and is more a forum to bitch and gripe. Almost getting as bad as a non Apple site, take this recent guardian headline that iOS 11 will render your phone 'obsolete' as if you can't use your phone. Strangely enough my iPhone 4 that only loads iOS 7 is still not 'obsolete'

It balances out the apologists plus we'd be stuck with 3.5", no pencil, single core and 512MB DRAM because specs don't matter, no one uses multi-window multi-tasking, etc. Someone even recently tried to say that we don't need HEVC hardware acceleration. Wonder if he changed his tune after Apple announced at WWDC 2017 that they're planning to address it.

 

[firewood]

What apple should do is automatically cross recompile the old apps to work on the new hardware.

Can't.

1. Apple does NOT have source code (developers are not required to send source code of their apps to Apple).
2. Some inexperienced developers didn't even keep good copies of the source code for their really old apps. (dumb, I know...)
3. And lots of the 64-bit iOS APIs have changed, so the code won't compile anymore without a large number of changes needed for recent versions of Xcode, and potentially many bug fixes needed to be 64-bit clean. These bug fixes can't be auto-magically done.
4. Those old apps were never tested by the developer on devices that didn't exist back then. Thus, even more bug fixes may be needed to meet the latest app submission rules (run on the most recent OS devices, meet new privacy rules, and etc.)

 

[StyxMaker]

Wow what extraordinarily Apple-centric logic(?) is this? Here's a variant of the same...

The fact that Apple hasn't made Messages/Facetime/et all for Android is astonishing. Why would Android people ever want to switch to Apple iOS if they fear they might be ignored as they are with this.

See how that works?

iOS is Androids primary competitor. Perhaps it makes great business sense to NOT update (or be a bit slow to update) some Google apps as part of playing an alternative walled garden game... just as Apple makes a number of important apps ONLY available in its walled garden?

Or more simply, if Google DID make all of their apps have fully-updated, fully-functional compatibility with iOS, why should YOU imagine anyone would WANT to switch to Android when they can have their cake & eat it too on iOS devices? I mean if an iOS device can run everything available on iOS, including a bunch of apps exclusively available ONLY on iOS, AND it can run all of the Google apps with full functionality, why should anyone on iOS want to switch to Android? They would get everything from a single device.

Since Google is an advertising company they want their apps running on every possible platform.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

It balances out the apologists plus we'd be stuck with 3.5", no pencil, single core and 512MB DRAM because specs don't matter, no one uses multi-window multi-tasking, etc. Someone even recently tried to say that we don't need HEVC hardware acceleration. Wonder if he changed his tune after Apple announced at WWDC 2017 that they're planning to address it.

Almost certainly. The general rule is nobody needs (nor should even have any interest in) what Apple doesn't have for sale right now. But, as soon as they do have it, then everybody needs it.

It is forbidden for anyone to "think different" unless those differences align with what Apple has for sale right now.

Resistance is futile.

 

[Hoosier317]

Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Tetris and Google Earth.

I may be able to get another version of Tetris and surely Google Earth will be updated...but my other games? I still play them all the time. They're some of my favorites. It's enough to keep me from upgrading to 11 on my 6s+. It's my only device and I don't have money for another one.

I'm upset.

...then you should be upset with those developers, not Apple.

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

I have noticed that a lot of my 32 bit apps are free games Apple gave out on promotion.

It makes you wonder if this is just a means to take your free stuff away and make you buy the full game instead of the Lite version instead. Hmm.

 

[shastada]

I have noticed that a lot of my 32 bit apps are free games Apple gave out on promotion.

It makes you wonder if this is just a means to take your free stuff away and make you buy the full game instead of the Lite version instead. Hmm.

Or on the flip side. Developers that gave away free stuff have little motivation to support it forever?

 

[nixfu]

Weird how every other 64bit operating system in the world can provide 32bit apps to also run on it as well, and for some reason the geniuses at Apple can't figure this out.