Apple Requiring New Apps and App Updates to Be Built With iOS 13 SDK Starting in April 2020

[MacRumors]

Apple today reminded iOS developers to update their apps for iOS 13, using the new Xcode 11 golden master that was released earlier today.

According to Apple, all new apps and app updates will need to be built with the iOS 13 SDK and support the all-screen design of the iPhone XS Max or later by April 2020.

With iOS 13, your app can take advantage of Dark Mode, a dramatic new look for iPhone, Sign in with Apple, the fast, easy way to sign in to apps, and the latest advances in ARKit 3, Core ML 3, and Siri. Build your apps using Xcode 11 GM seed, test them on iOS devices running the latest GM seeds, and submit them for review.

Starting April 2020, all new apps and app updates will need to be built with the iOS 13 SDK and support the all-screen design of iPhone XS Max or later.

Apple plans to release iOS 13 to the public on Thursday, September 19, one day before the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max models become available for purchase.

Article Link: Apple Requiring New Apps and App Updates to Be Built With iOS 13 SDK Starting in April 2020

 

[B4U]

That is like half a year later. Isn't that too late already?

 

[dominiongamma]

Should be required by end of 2019

 

[69Mustang]

March 31, 2020...

"We haven't been given enough time!!"
- some devs probably

 

[maverick28]

And I used to have hot discussions with very naive people of Apple loyalists, bending over backwards in their attempts to convince me that it's not Apple that pushes the app compatibility forward but the developers themselves ::facepalm::

 

[CatalinApple]

Should be required by end of 2019

Should, well said. Too bad some devs develop an app among them good apps then they update them like once or twice a year. It's very frustrating.

 

[az431]

Should, well said. Too bad some devs develop an app among them good apps then they update them like once or twice a year. It's very frustrating.

There was a time when you bought software and that was it. Now people complain that their free app isn’t updated often enough.

 

[rlhamil]

Should, well said. Too bad some devs develop an app among them good apps then they update them like once or twice a year. It's very frustrating.

True for most complex apps; but the only reason that simple apps, utilities almost, can't run all the way back to forever unchanged, is because backwards compatibility support is dropped, not because they need any of the new features, nor even need to look kewl and native.

 

[dominiongamma]

There was a time when you bought software and that was it. Now people complain that their free app isn’t updated often enough.

Developers have a responsibility to update their apps and follow the guideline Apple
laid out. If they can’t do that then maybe they need to rethink about being a developer. In 2019 people expect high quality apps to work with their new phones they bought.

 

[xStep]

What is “all-screen design of iPhone XS Max”? Don’t they just mean use of the full screen on an iOS device? Why specify the Max?

 

[fredrik9]

When will they force developers to add iPad side-by-side and keyboard shortcuts. Apps like Youtube still has none of them.

 

[jonnysods]

This is a good way to remove all the older unsupported apps from the app store.

 

[maverick28]

Developers have a responsibility to update their apps and follow the guideline Apple
laid out. If they can’t do that then maybe they need to rethink about being a developer. In 2019 people expect high quality apps to work with their new phones they bought.

We're not talking about developers here while you seem to lump together such categories as "quality" and "updates frequency" which are not at all synonyms: there's plenty of the newest apps on MAS that is a pure trash. On the other hand, some older apps that are still compatible are rock solid. Various combinations are possible. There's one more consideration: if an app is updated too frequently there may be something wrong with its quality (Facebook comes to mind first: it's now version 237 or 273 or whatever). People "expect high quality apps to work with their new phones" every year, always, not just in 2019 and not only with their new phone. BTW, nobody argues with that, so your point is vague.

 

[ijm8710]

What about the requirement 2 years ago for apps to meet iPhone X display with earlier sdk? I still have apps that have updated as recently as a few months ago that have bypassed this. recommended it-sure, but they do r police nor require this, even when these apps have been reported

 

[Trashbean]

So, what will happen to existing apps which are not updated? Will they be removed from the app store I wonder? I saw so many apps from 2016 to 17 that didn't get an update, I still use a couple of them.

 

[fredrik9]

So, what will happen to existing apps which are not updated? Will they be removed from the app store I wonder? I saw so many apps from 2016 to 17 that didn't get an update, I still use a couple of them.

No they will likely remain in the App store but may be incompatible if a future iOS update breaks them. So if they are really important to you, do not update iOS or find alternative apps.