App Store Submissions Now Being Reviewed for iPhone OS 3.0 Compatibility

[alexbates]

Apple has sent an email to all developers saying that they are now starting to review their apps.

All apps must be compatible with iPhone OS 3.0
Millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers will move to iPhone OS 3.0 this summer. Beginning today, all submissions to the App Store will be reviewed on the latest beta of iPhone OS 3.0. If your app submission is not compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, it will not be approved.
Existing apps in the App Store should already run on iPhone OS 3.0 without
modification, but you should test your existing apps with iPhone OS 3.0 to
ensure there are no compatibility issues. After iPhone OS 3.0 becomes
available to customers, any app that is incompatible with iPhone OS
3.0 may be removed from the App Store.

This is great news! Were getting closer and closer to 3.0. I am surprised that Apple is saying they will remove apps that do not work with 3.0 though. This makes me think that it will be released before the WWDC.

Link to original article

 

[DaveTaylor]

the actual email

Here you go

 

[MacRumors]

App Store Submissions Now Being Reviewed for iPhone OS 3.0 Compatibility



In an e-mail sent out to registered iPhone developers a short time ago, Apple announced that starting today, all applications submitted for App Store approval will be reviewed using iPhone OS 3.0 to ensure compatibility with the forthcoming operating system. Apple also announced that while all existing applications should be compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, any applications that are found to not be compatible after its public release are subject to removal from the App Store.

All apps must be compatible with iPhone OS 3.0
Millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers will move to iPhone OS 3.0 this summer. Beginning today, all submissions to the App Store will be reviewed on the latest beta of iPhone OS 3.0. If your app submission is not compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, it will not be approved.

Existing apps in the App Store should already run on iPhone OS 3.0 without modification, but you should test your existing apps with iPhone OS 3.0 to ensure there are no compatibility issues. After iPhone OS 3.0 becomes available to customers, any app that is incompatible with iPhone OS 3.0 may be removed from the App Store.

Apple also announced in the e-mail the availability of iPhone OS 3.0 and SDK Beta 5, which were released to developers yesterday.

Article Link: App Store Submissions Now Being Reviewed for iPhone OS 3.0 Compatibility

 

[TAJones99]

Apps will only be apporved using iPhone sdk 3.0 now

So I guess there gearing up for the final release

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

So can we expect 3.0 sooner than anticipated?
I hope not. I want a near bugless release.

 

[autrefois]

This seems a bit demanding to me. What is wrong with the current framework, where apps list system requirements? I would think 3.0 apps could be listed as such without forcing all developers to either ensure 3.0 compatibility or have their app removed.

Let's hope Apple doesn't start requiring all applications for the Mac to be Snow-Leopard compatible once that comes out! (I don't really think they would.)

 

[MarceePauff]

So what do you think will happen if developers don't update their apps to work with 3.0 but customers have paid for them? How will they handle refunds of that magnitude?

 

[AiralynRose]

i hope this doesn't mess up the app updates i submitted last week. still waiting on them to be approved... i didn't want to install the beta yet, but i guess i might have to.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

This seems a bit demanding to me. What is wrong with the current framework, where apps list system requirements? I would think 3.0 apps could be listed as such without forcing all developers to either ensure 3.0 compatibility or have their app removed.

Let's hope Apple doesn't start requiring all applications for the Mac to be Snow-Leopard compatible once that comes out! (I don't really think they would.)

As an developer, iPhone OS 3.0 has MASSIVE architecture changes.

Therefore, many of the apps right now in the app store has major incompatibilities with iPhone OS 3.0. (even with many beta changes)

The changes are easy to make. Just change few lines of code, and it should work.

I think Apple is all about making sure the apps work in the consumer end.

Demanding? Yes! Thinking about consumers? ABSOLUTELY!

 

[leandromp]

That's great news. All those crappy apps out there without somebody taking care of it!
Less app, better quality and more stability.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

So what do you think will happen if developers don't update their apps to work with 3.0 but customers have paid for them? How will they handle refunds of that magnitude?

Those apps are pretty much discontinued, and developers just gave up. Those apps should not be in the app store by the time this happens.

Refunds, I think the developers will do.

 

[shaun.andrews]

This pisses me off. I've been working on an app for a few months (http://spendly.com). We've tested in OS 3.0, but ignored the bugs, as they're related to the OS and *not* our app. How can we be required to code/launch based on an OS that's too buggy to use full time.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[dicklacara]

This seems a bit demanding to me. What is wrong with the current framework, where apps list system requirements? I would think 3.0 apps could be listed as such without forcing all developers to either ensure 3.0 compatibility or have their app removed.

Let's hope Apple doesn't start requiring all applications for the Mac to be Snow-Leopard compatible once that comes out! (I don't really think they would.)

Simple logic behind this requirement... Apple doesn't want to get in the mess of supporting legacy OS versions (for an appliance). Think of the confusion to the developers and customers, alike if they need to find and maintain multiple versions of the same app.

HTH

Dick

 

[alchemistmuffin]

i hope this doesn't mess up the app updates i submitted last week. still waiting on them to be approved... i didn't want to install the beta yet, but i guess i might have to.

It is now REQUIRED! to install iPhone OS 3.0. beta SDK.

But the coding has to be done in 2.2.1 framework still to be approved.

But making it work with 3.0 is really easy. Apple has guides on Read Me on how to make the app work with 3.0 with current SDK.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

So can we expect 3.0 sooner than anticipated?
I hope not. I want a near bugless release.

3.0 will still be released during WWDC, along with preview of final version of Snow Leopard.

I think WWDC this year will focus on two things: First half toward iPhone OS 3.0, and second half toward Snow Leopard (released during Autumn)'

One more Thing: First Blu-Ray Macs, the all new Mac Pro.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

This pisses me off. I've been working on an app for a few months (http://spendly.com). We've tested in OS 3.0, but ignored the bugs, as they're related to the OS and *not* our app. How can we be required to code/launch based on an OS that's too buggy to use full time.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Actually, it's easy to make changes to work with 3.0.

Apple has guidelines on making apps work with 3.0 with just a minor tweaks in code. They have posted the guideline on their website, under read me.

 

[strausd]

shows thats iPhone 3.0 will for sure be out this summer.

 

[vansouza]

Hurry up Developers... so many of my apps are busted...

 

[autrefois]

Simple logic behind this requirement... Apple doesn't want to get in the mess of supporting legacy OS versions (for an appliance). Think of the confusion to the developers and customers, alike if they need to find and maintain multiple versions of the same app.

HYH

Dick

If it's easy to update the code to make apps compatible with 3.0, as people have suggested so far, then I'm less against this than I was originally. I was thinking of "little guy" developers who might not be able to make changes as quickly or as easily as the big names, as well as people who have to pay to update to 3.0 (presumably, iPod Touch owners).

It sounds like the latter (Touch users) would be the most inconvenienced, then. Either they'll have to pay for the update, or stop downloading new apps once 3.0 comes out. This might cause some frustration and confusion among those users, but not among iPhone users then. I would probably be upset if I had an iPod touch, but since I have an iPhone I shouldn't have to worry then.

 

[scotty321]

This seems a bit demanding to me. What is wrong with the current framework, where apps list system requirements? I would think 3.0 apps could be listed as such without forcing all developers to either ensure 3.0 compatibility or have their app removed.

Let's hope Apple doesn't start requiring all applications for the Mac to be Snow-Leopard compatible once that comes out! (I don't really think they would.)

That is an absolutely ridiculous comment. Millions upon millions of people will be getting a free update to iPhone OS 3.0, as soon as they plug in their iPhones into their computer and hit the update button. Millions upon millions of people won't even realize that they're making a massive OS upgrade to their phones. They will EXPECT their apps to work seamlessly as always.

Snow Leopard, on the other hand, is a paid OS upgrade that a user willingly & knowingly goes out and purchases, then manually installs on their machine.

 

[PabloGS]

What about the Universities? They don't have access to 3.0 yet... Don't they? Correct me if I'm mistaken, but: How would they verify compatibility?

 

[autrefois]

That is an absolutely ridiculous comment. Millions upon millions of people will be getting a free update to iPhone OS 3.0, as soon as they plug in their iPhones into their computer and hit the update button. Millions upon millions of people won't even realize that they're making a massive OS upgrade to their phones. They will EXPECT their apps to work seamlessly as always.

Snow Leopard, on the other hand, is a paid OS upgrade that a user willingly & knowingly goes out and purchases, then manually installs on their machine.

It's not a ridiculous comment. Obviously the situations are not identical, but millions of people using an iPod touch will presumably not get a free upgrade to 3.0. They will have to purchase it and download it.

As I said in my second post (which I posted just before your reply, so you probably didn't see it before you replied), my main objection was for the benefit of smaller developers. One of the reasons that I love the App Store is that a wide variety of developers can reach a broad audience. If it is easy for them to make their apps ready for 3.0, then that eliminates my main objection.

 

[alexbates]

That is an absolutely ridiculous comment. Millions upon millions of people will be getting a free update to iPhone OS 3.0, as soon as they plug in their iPhones into their computer and hit the update button.

Except for me, because people with iPod Touch's have to pay $9.99. I really don't have a problem with it though. I think it's a good idea on Apples part.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

What about the Universities? They don't have access to 3.0 yet... Don't they? Correct me if I'm mistaken, but: How would they verify compatibility?

Why would schools be any different than other developers? Why wouldn't Apple allow them to join the iPhone Dev Program?

 

[admanimal]

So I guess there gearing up for the final release

I'm not sure if you are confused or just used the wrong terminology, but you still can't submit apps to the App Store built using the 3.0 SDK. All the latest email said is that apps that are submitted must work on devices running the 3.0 firmware.