What you need to know
- Apple has extended the deadline for developers to build for the iOS 13 SDK.
- Now, developers have until June 30th to update their iPhone and iPad apps.
- Apple Watch app deadlines are also being extended.
Apple was originally requiring developers to have their iPhone and iPad apps built with the iOS 13 SDK by April 30, 2020. In a blog post (opens in new tab) to the company's Developer website today, Apple has made the decision to extend that deadline to June 30th.
"We greatly value the worldwide developer community, and appreciate your commitment to making a difference in people's lives through the power of technology. To accommodate developers who may need additional time to update their existing apps on the App Store, the deadline for adhering to the requirements below has been extended to June 30, 2020."
The company also mentions that apps for Apple Watch, which are going to be required to be built with the watchOS 6 SDK, are also seeing an extension from their original deadline. The company details that, as of June 30, 2020, all apps must meet the following requirements:
- Apps for iPhone or iPad must be built with the iOS 13 SDK or later and use an Xcode storyboard to provide the app's launch screen.
- iPhone apps must support all iPhone screens and all iPad apps must support all iPad screens.
- Apps for Apple Watch must be built with the watchOS 6 SDK or later.
- Apps that authenticate or set up user accounts must support Sign in with Apple if required by guideline 4.8 of the App Store Review Guidelines.
- Apps in the Kids category must be in full compliance with guideline 1.3 and guideline 5.1.4. of the App Store Review Guidelines.
- Apps using HTML 5 must be in full compliance with guideline 4.7 sections 4, 5, and 6 of the App Store Review Guidelines.
Developers can read more into the requirements update on Apple's Developer website (opens in new tab).
Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.
