32-Bit Apps No Longer Supported in iOS 11

[darkarn]

One thing that people don't seem to be considering is that this is most likely to be driven by a hardware change rather than just software... i would put good money on the A11 being a 64bit only CPU freeing up space on the die for extra cores or GPUs where the 32bit instruction sets used to live.

A 64bit only CPU means that the OS and everything it runs also needs to be 64bit only, and as all iOS 11 supported devices now have 64bit CPUs then it makes sense to switch to 64bit only across the board and reduce the complications of supporting 2 completely separate branches of the OS code - one with 32bit, one without.

64bit app support was introduced in 2013 and it has been mandatory for app updates to be 64bit for the last 2 years which means any 32 bit apps still around have been "abandoned" for at least 2 years and 2 iOS releases making the risk of API changes breaking them increasingly high even if 32 bit support wasn't being dropped.

It'll be sad to see some of my old abandoned apps fall by the wayside but the technology moves on and we have to move with it or get left behind.

This is a good point, now I too wonder if the A10X on the new iPad Pros coming next week will also be 64 bit only or not

Also, I am still amazed at how my laziness to update my iPad Air all these years was a right move after all; it is still on iOS 7.1.2 which also gives me the option to jailbreak without any issue.

 

[chrfr]

I too wonder if the A10X on the new iPad Pros coming next week will also be 64 bit only or not

The A10X will run 32-bit apps as well as any other iPad's CPU. This would have been a big deal if the CPU were 64-bit only at this point.

 

[darkarn]

The A10X will run 32-bit apps as well as any other iPad's CPU. This would have been a big deal if the CPU were 64-bit only at this point.

I see, a pity that the new iPad Pros won't have the performance benefits that you predicted for the A11

 

[firewood]

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.

They have. The current system works that way. It, and every other 64-bit system, wastes a ton of memory on that 32-bit app support, leaving less memory for all your non-ancient apps. Try thinning an app, and it will take less storage as well.

 

[harriska2]

While I agree with the overall idea.... developers who let their app die on the vine will ensure that they will NEVER make money from that app ever again.

An hour's worth of work to update your app might only get you pennies in the future.

But doing nothing will get you nothing.

Hmm, some Indian company quoted $1000 to upgrade my app from 7 to 8. Didn't do it, too much money.

 

[darkarn]

Come to think of it, won't this also create a form of crisis in terms of digital heritage preservation?

For PC or even macOS apps, it is easy to install (or at least, virtualise) older OSes to allow usage of legacy programs thus allowing people to show how old programs look like in the future.

But for iOS, this is not the case. Holding onto a device that is not updated to iOS 8 onwards seems to be the only way but how many of such devices are left in the 2nd hand market?

I am really worried about this digital heritage preservation issue now

 

[TheScribe]

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.

I paid for the games I mentioned, and they're some of my favorites to still play. Money=Gone

 

[Michael Scrip]

Tried tweeting the TempoSlow dev, but no response and that app hasn't been updated in ~3 years.

Great =/

TempoSlow just got updated!!!

 

[haruhiko]

Didn't know so many apps on my phone were abandoned for this long. Deleted some of them and brought back old memories for some apps that I enjoyed.

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Yep, as I predicted weeks ago.

It wasn't exactly a Nostradamus level of prediction was it

---

On the topic, I don't have too many apps remaining that have not yet been updated, but I hope the developers are hard at work on those that still require changes to be made as there are a few I'd be disappointed to lose.
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So when is the appshopper app going to be updated?

Contact the developer and ask them . . .
[doublepost=1498211756][/doublepost]

Sadly, nowhere was it stated that you paid for perpetual support.

It hasn't affected me too badly, thankfully, but just because something wasn't stated doesn't mean people lose their right to be pissed off by it.

The technological progress argument is far more persuasive than this legal basis viewpoint.
[doublepost=1498211875][/doublepost]

Tried tweeting the TempoSlow dev, but no response and that app hasn't been updated in ~3 years.

Great =/

Unfortunately for you this is another persuasive argument for purging some apps as if a particular app has been neglected for some time, it becomes an increasing security risk which is a problem for some (like me).

 

[Eorlas]

TempoSlow just got updated!!!

I didn't notice it at all when it got updated until days later when I used it again and noticed the resolution was different.

So happy about this, emailed the dev a thank you.

 

[ErikGrim]

Found this hidden setting in High Sierra:

 

[tweak25]

Is there any way of finding out whether an app is 64 bit before purchasing?

Have been burned by this before and would rather not spend any more money on apps that will be useless come iOS 11.

 

[ErikGrim]

Guess I finally have to say goodbye to Peggle Classic on my iPad Pro 10.5

 

[slashlos]

The 2018 cutoff date is for macOS apps.

I too miss my original; it features a minimalist - no separate number strip/grid UI entry. Is this yours too? I'm trying to locate the developer.
[doublepost=1509827821][/doublepost]

Ahead of the launch of iOS 11, there were several signs suggesting 32-bit apps would no longer be supported in the new operating system, which has been confirmed with the release of the first iOS 11 beta.

When attempting to open a 32-bit app when running iOS 11, the app refuses to launch, offering up a message that says the app needs to be updated to work with iOS 11.

32-bit apps are also not available when searching in the new version of the App Store, and previously downloaded 32-bit apps can't be installed through the Purchased tab.

Over the course of the last several months, warnings about 32-bit apps have gotten increasingly dire. With the launch of iOS 10.1 in October of 2016, Apple started warning customers that older apps "may slow down your iPhone."

In January of 2017, the first iOS 10.3 beta featured an even more serious message when launching a 32-bit app, which specifically read "This app will not work with future versions of iOS."

Given the warnings, it should come as no surprise that Apple has eliminated support for 32-bit apps, but it does render many older apps that have worked for years without updates unusable. There are likely many users who continue to use 32-bit apps regularly who will be surprised to find that those apps no longer work when iOS 11 rolls out to the public.

Apple started supporting 64-bit apps when the iPhone 5s launched in September of 2013. As of June 2015, all apps and app updates must use the 64-bit architecture, so apps that are still 32-bit have not been updated in at least two years.

Current iOS 10 users can check to see if there are any 32-bit apps on their iOS devices in the Settings app. Go to General --> About --> Applications to get to the "App Compatibility" section that lists any outdated apps.

iOS 11 is only compatible with devices that feature a 64-bit chip, meaning it works with everything that has an A7 or newer chip. Specifically, iOS 11 is compatible with iPhone 5s, SE, 6 Plus, 6, 6s Plus, 6s, 7 Plus, and 7, along with the new fifth-generation iPad, the iPad Air, the iPad Air 2, all iPad Pro models, the iPad mini 2 and later, and the 6th generation iPod touch.

Article Link: 32-Bit Apps No Longer Supported in iOS 11

Does anyone know of a way to contact these developers re: their plans if any? I'm personally seeking the developer of the Sudoku.ipa app: it featured a minimalist - no separate number strip/grid UI entry. I'd like to help for free - no personal gain, other than to be able to still play it.

Is there an iOS 32-bit Garden similar to http://macintoshgarden.org, what will catalog these apps?

 

[Reason077]

Is there any way of finding out whether an app is 64 bit before purchasing?

Have been burned by this before and would rather not spend any more money on apps that will be useless come iOS 11.

Check the "last update" date. If it's more recent than February 2015, then it's guaranteed to be 64-bit because the App Store did not accept 32-bit only submissions after that date. Apps submitted earlier that *may* be 64-bit, but it's not guaranteed.