Apple has just sent out an email alert to iPhone developers that any new app submitted to the App Store will have to be ready for the iPhone 3.0 software, which is due shortly (probably around Apple’s WWDC event in June). Beginning today, any app submitted that isn’t 3.0 compatible will be rejected.
Here’s the key parts of the email:
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.
I’ve emailed Apple asking if there are any features specifically that developers should be careful about making sure work in the new 3.0 firmware. Google recently outlined some of the key points of the new Android firmware that developers should watch for in order to maintain compatibility.
One potential issue as outlined by our tipster Nick is as follows:
Apple also says that most apps will run on 3.0 without any changes, however, some major changes were made and I suspect any app using a UIAlertView (pretty much any app with a confirm/deny dialog) will need to be changed due to the change made to the indexing order of the buttons on that view.
[thanks nick]
This is, as far as I can see, a pain for individual developers…
It effectively means that any developer now needs two iphones, (or touches), one with OS 2 and one with 3.0, especially since 3.0 can’t be downgraded to 2.
Yes, time to buy new iphone again.
good excuse though. he he he
You most certainly can downgrade to 2 (I’ve done it twice already)!
Except that the SDK has a virtual iPhone simulator, for that very need.
…and yes…you can downgrade.
You’re a rookie n00b.
Isn’t the new API backward compatible (e.g. breaking earlier API)?
They should offer an easy to use inspection tool that will check for compatability – otherwise very difficult for developers to test.
That is not very nice of them… I mean, come on!
Hehe… http://www.wannadevelop.com
“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.”
Got to love the double-speak. If existing apps are compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, coding to the current iPhone OS 2.2.1 API must be compatible too, no?
Marching orders to update and like it.
very good point. that what I always did with 2.0, 2.1 and 2.1.1. Always chose to build against 2.0, even though my ipod touch device had been upgraded to 2.2.1. The only pb is if you use a functionality that wasn’t available before. I guess Apple wants people to upgrade.
I find it ironic that the apple fanboys come and bash android when developers should support multiple phones, but when apple *forces* developers to support only the latest version, nobody says anything about it.
There is nothing irony about it.
In Apple’s perfect little world, everyone is using the latest OS, if you don’t, you should.
Mac developers are encouraged to cease support for older OS in their softwares also.
So no, not exactly new here.
The problem with Android 1.5’s API change is Android is supposed to be open & free, but Google is playing the benevolent dictator in this case. Apple never promised that. Yet they behave quite identical regarding API revisions.
How does *open* and *free* have anything to do with changes in API going from Android 1.1 to 1.5. They made changes, informed the whole world about them detailing everything in blog posts, and everything is still open and free…
Why rant when you agree with the guy? Go back to sleep.
So does that mean we can now submit apps to the appstore that use 3.0 features?
So, does this now mean I can work with the 3.0 SDK for free, or do I still have to be in the $99 registered developer program to get it?
you can download SDK for free but you’ll have to pay $99 if you want to test your application on real device
Um, go check the ADC homepage, Zack. Nothing has changed.
“You must be enrolled in the iPhone Developer Standard or Enterprise Program to access the development resources for iPhone OS 3.0 beta.”
So it’s still 2.2.1 for the unregistered developers.
Seems that Apple is learning bad things that Microsoft used to do.
On the contrary. Microsoft’s OS is plagued by ancient frameworks & APIs for compatibility reasons.
Win7’s XP VM approach is a step in the right direction.
Apple never hesitate to abandon legacy APIs.
Absolutely agree, that’s the way to go. abondon legacy API not like Microsoft Vista is so BIG BIG BIG that no body wanted anymore.
This is terrible. Our team can barely login to the dev center during the day, and the newest beta bricked my phone. Search for #bricked on twitter and you’ll see that many other folks are having the same problem. Way to go crApple.
Your bases are belong to us, ok? Such is the word of Sanjay.
I think this is pretty standard for Apple and not related to how Microsoft does it at all. Microsoft bends over for backwards compatibility while Apple has no problem forcing devs to comply with the latest and greatest.
Pfft screw the developers I only WISH microsoft did the same and that I didn’t have to keep making shit for IE6. If only I had to developer just for iPhone. You have it good, shut your bitching.
Sucks to be you Anthony, ok? Stop playing with the browser monkey and come over to mobile land. Such is the word of Sanjay.
lol so there were so many posts from MG Siegler describing how android’s new update is bad due to it having to comply to many different phones and how compatibility is already a problem.
What he should know is that all software releases try to be as backward compatible as possible but new changes will certainly break certain items. I am sure this iphone update will be the same regardless of whether it’s only for a single device or not.
Additionally what’s sad here is that developers will have to pay $99 to sign up to this beta in order to even supply an update, meaning Apple will suddenly make a ton of additional money. Oh wait Android was FREE! Not to mention all the developers who will have to flash the beta version onto their iphones to test. Android did it right by allowing different version numbers for applications and they are differentiated by Market matching the current system version to the application version.
Every iPhone developer ALREADY paid the $99.
And they are making money too.
Good luck with Android market though.
Apple controls every aspect of iPhone platform.
Yes, we all know that.
Google tries to present a laissez-faire mobile platform.
And the Android 1.5 shows it is not possible to maintain a hassle-free center App distribution platform while playing casual with all these hardware manufacturers & telco et al.
You just can’t have a cupcake and eat it too.
Please enlighten me how Android 1.5 is showing that it’s not possible to maintain a hassle-free center App distribution? These iphone fanboys are getting ridiculous.
not sure why there’s so much complaining abiout this … it’s not very hard to move to 3.0 if you know what you’re doing. for most developers it’s not much more than a rebuild.
lol this will radically reduce the number of apps for the iphone…
No it won’t
Yeah, still be some studid apple fan boy moron developper to work on some useless shit.
Good! I am all for getting it right. We all know it takes 3 versions to get it right, right? At least that’s what my engineers told me.
As a customer of the App Store and not a developer, this is a very good thing. The last thing I want is to pony up my money to purchase an application only to find that it doesn’t work on my phone. This will damage the reputation of the store and make me less likely to go back and buy something again.
As a next step, Apple needs to work through the current catalogue identifying those apps which don’t work, alert the authors to the problems and give them a set amount of time to submit an update. If they don’t update it in that timeframe, then the application gets pulled.
The last thing you need is the world and his dog going to 3.0 and a tonne of apps in the store which don’t work on the new software.
Is the iPhone gonna get a makeover, cuz I read somewhere that new iPhone models are gonna be coming.
Regards
Preetam
http://blushill...on.blogspot.com
@MG wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that you were talking about how confusing it was for Android 1.5 not being backwards compatible? http://www.tech...nd-complicated/
I seem to remember alot of people reminding you that software as it evolves will more than likely not be 100% backwards compatible.
It appears that it’s the same for Apple huh?
Next time do a little more research so it doesn’t appear that you are a total noob when it comes to app development ok?
ROFL I can’t agree more. Only non-software developers will argue that something is not 100% backwards compatible. It will NEVER be unless you barely change anything..
I guess the only solution is for developers to update their apps to 3.0
New Yorkers drivers if you have an iphone running 2.0 software and above well here is an app for you o and for free:
http://www.whic...e_giveaway.html
This being Apple, you can hardly be surprised?
Apple users have been on the forced upgrade treadmill since the first machine was released, why would it change on a different device?
i installed sdk3 beta version 5 but i cannot release applications to i tunes store because it gives me this error always.
“The binary you uploaded was invalid. The value provided for the key MinimumOSVersion is not acceptable.”
Can anyone help me in this regard
iphone, one of my dream…
I’m not an app developer just a mere end user.
I was wondering…
Does the act of making a OS 2.x application OS 3.0 compatible render it useless on iPods and iPhones running OS 2.x?
I thank you in anticipation of a simple answer.
I mean it makes sense that all the aps should be able to run on 3.0. Just hurts some of the people that now have to pay to upgrade their phones.