appstorelogocleanApple today asked developers to begin submitting apps that take advantage of new features in iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and macOS Mojave ahead of the upcoming launch of the new software updates.

You can now submit apps that take advantage of the powerful new capabilities in the next release of iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Build your apps using Xcode 10 GM seed, test with the latest releases of iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, and submit them for review.

According to Apple, all new apps and app updates for iPhone, including universal apps, will be need to be built with the iOS 12 SDK and will need to include support for the iPhone XS Max starting in March 2019.

All new apps and app updates for Apple Watch will need to be built with the watchOS 5 SDK and will need to support Apple Watch Series 4 by the same date.

Apple plans to release iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS 12, and new software for the HomePod on Monday, September 17. Apple will release macOS Mojave a week later on Monday, September 24.

Top Rated Comments

ajgraves Avatar
93 months ago
There are still apps that are not updated for the original X... how about they start enforcing there?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
93 months ago
There are still apps that are not updated for the original X... how about they start enforcing there?
There are still apps that scale the resolution from the 4" phones (5/5s) to the iPhone 6/7/8's, and the apps are regularly updated.

It's a major pisser for me for a few apps that I use regularly that still haven't upgraded to even the 6/7/8 resolutions, much less the X.

I wonder if that will finally force them to make the apps scale properly on all larger phones.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
93 months ago
I hope this doesn't mean that another batch of older apps is set to become obsolete if they're not updated. I've already lost enough of them.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
az431 Avatar
93 months ago
Can the iOS 12 SDK target iOS 10 or iOS 11, or does this mean that anyone not running iOS 12 is not going to be able to get app updates?
That's not what it means. The developer decides which OS versions to target when compiling the app. We generally don't target more than two iOS versions older than the current iOS version (iOS 10), but some developers are going back as far as iOS 8.

If the developer stops supporting an iOS version you will not receive any further app updates.
[doublepost=1536858824][/doublepost]
I said updates to the apps that already exist, meaning I thought when developers submitted an update it HAD to include support for the X. To me, support means scaling to fit the entire screen, etc. not just using the iOS 11/12 sdk, right? Like if they have to build the apps using the new SDK wouldn’t (or I guess shouldn’t) developers have to scale their apps accordingly?? This sounds like the iPhone 4 retina issue and iPhone 6+ scaling issue all over again *screams internally*



Ahhh okay. So this is to just to ensure support for something like say Shortcuts app? Just to make sure it works with iOS 12 not necessarily the UI? I thought they’d be basically intertwined as you need to use the iOS 12 SDK which kinda means you need to scale and make sure your app(s) support the larger screens (X, XS and Max)?
Building the app with the iOS 12 SDK means compiling the code to upload to Apple, nothing more. There is no requirement that a developer scale their apps or adapt their UI for newer devices, though if there was a major issue it would be flagged on app review.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
93 months ago
Not surprising. Keep up and keep building on the current platform.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
93 months ago
OMG. I understand the big push to 64 bit, but Apple refusing to support their own code base for even a whole year is just bizarre.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday October 18, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps. More features and changes will follow in future ...
ios 26 1 liquid glass opaque

iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle

Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass. The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
iphone air thickness

Apple Said to Cut iPhone Air Production Amid Underwhelming Sales

Friday October 17, 2025 8:29 am PDT by
Apple plans to cut production of the iPhone Air amid underwhelming sales performance, Japan's Mizuho Securities believes (via The Elec). The Japanese investment banking and securities firm claims that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are seeing higher sales than their predecessors during the same period last year, while the standard iPhone 17 is a major success, performing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.2 Update for iPhones Coming Soon

Friday October 17, 2025 7:35 am PDT by
Apple's software engineers continue to internally test iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.0.2 will be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet. The update will likely be released by the end of next week. Last month, Apple released iOS 26.0.1,...
Apple iPad Pro hero M5

New iPad Pro Has Six Key Upgrades Beyond M5 Chip

Saturday October 18, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
While the new iPad Pro's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more. With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results. Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU,...
iPhone Siri Glow

Some Apple Employees Have 'Concerns' About iOS 26.4's Revamped Siri

Sunday October 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
iOS 26.4 is expected to introduce a revamped version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, but not everyone is satisfied with how well it works. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about the overhauled Siri's performance. However, he did not provide any specific details about the shortcomings. iOS 26.4 will...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

Apple's Next Rumored Products: New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and More

Thursday October 16, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple on Wednesday updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro with its next-generation M5 chip, but previous rumors have indicated that the company still plans to announce at least a few additional products before the end of the year. The following Apple products have at one point been rumored to be updated in 2025, although it is unclear if the timeframe for any of them has...
maxresdefault

Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

Monday October 20, 2025 1:55 pm PDT by
With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then...
m4 macbook air blue

M5 MacBook Air Coming Spring 2026 With M5 Mac Studio and Mac Mini in Development

Thursday October 16, 2025 3:57 pm PDT by
Apple plans to launch MacBook Air models equipped with the new M5 chip in spring 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is also working on M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models that will come early in the year. Neither the MacBook Pro models nor the MacBook Air models are expected to get design changes, with Apple focusing on simple chip upgrades. In the case of the MacBook Pro, a m...