Apple to require 64-bit support from all iOS apps starting in February
In an announcement made through its developer Web portal on Monday, Apple informed app makers that their wares must include 64-bit support and be built with the latest iOS 8 SDK starting Feb. 1, 2015.
Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller introduces the A7 system-on-chip.
Posted to Apple's Developer webpage, the news comes as no surprise as the almost all current iOS devices are powered by 64-bit A7 or A8 chips.
The introduction of 64-bit chips in smartphones and tablets reportedly "set off panic" for rival chipmakers like Qualcomm, which didn't have roadmaps as aggressive as Apple's rollout. At the time, competitors dismissed the technology as unnecessary for then-current portable computing tasks. Their tune quickly changed, however, and major chipmakers sank R&D funds into building their own 64-bit products that would roll out many months after Apple's first A7 chip hit market.
Developers can download the latest Xcode 6.1 with up to date iOS 8 SDK through Apple's Developer Center.
Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller introduces the A7 system-on-chip.Posted to Apple's Developer webpage, the news comes as no surprise as the almost all current iOS devices are powered by 64-bit A7 or A8 chips.
Apple was first to bring 64-bit portable computing mainstream with the iPhone 5s 2013 and has since expanded the advanced processors to the iPad. With the introduction of this year's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the only iOS device left without 64-bit support is the base model iPhone 5c, which is now offered as a free-on-contract option from wireless carriers.Starting February 1, 2015, new iOS apps uploaded to the App Store must include 64-bit support and be built with the iOS 8 SDK, included in Xcode 6 or later. To enable 64-bit in your project, we recommend using the default Xcode build setting of "Standard architectures" to build a single binary with both 32-bit and 64-bit code.
The introduction of 64-bit chips in smartphones and tablets reportedly "set off panic" for rival chipmakers like Qualcomm, which didn't have roadmaps as aggressive as Apple's rollout. At the time, competitors dismissed the technology as unnecessary for then-current portable computing tasks. Their tune quickly changed, however, and major chipmakers sank R&D funds into building their own 64-bit products that would roll out many months after Apple's first A7 chip hit market.
Developers can download the latest Xcode 6.1 with up to date iOS 8 SDK through Apple's Developer Center.
Comments
Anchors away!
Will you still feed me?
Simple Xcode selection to make 32/64 bit application so it shouldn't be a big deal for programmers. Of course, this also means programs that are no longer being supported won't work once 2/1/2015 comes around.
I use lots of math calculations in my apps and when I added support for 64-bit for one of them there were more than 200 warnings regarding the use of int (for integer variables). It is not difficult but not as simple as checking a box.
Apple will not remove 32-bit apps after Feb 2015. They will not approve new apps or updates to existing apps after that date.
In so many ways Apple makes it harder and harder to keep up. By the time Android/Microsoft/Black Berry have a base of users with 64-bit devices in their hands, Apple will have a fat base of applications that rely on 64-bits to function properly.
Life is hard, but it's a lot harder when you are [S]stupid[/S] Apple's competitor.
/s
32 bit apps will continue to work for some time. Think fat binaries.
As an aside, I'm actually a bit shocked that Apple hasn't moved all platforms to 64 bit yet. The sooner they can sweep away all 32 bit hardware the sooner we will see 64 bit only apps.
32 bit apps will continue to work for some time. Think fat binaries.
As an aside, I'm actually a bit shocked that Apple hasn't moved all platforms to 64 bit yet. The sooner they can sweep away all 32 bit hardware the sooner we will see 64 bit only apps.
Yeah, keeping around the A5 in the iPod Touch and iPad Mini is a bit frustrating, TBH. Hopefully those go away after Christmas, that way we can move onto our glorious 64-bit future! The iPhone 5C can be left behind too.
I understand why they are doing it, but I don't think the timing is opportune. They are still selling 32 bit phones that can be purchased but not get new apps or even an update. It's not like those phones and iPads are a small percentage of the devices in the wild.
32 bit apps will continue to work for some time. Think fat binaries.
As an aside, I'm actually a bit shocked that Apple hasn't moved all platforms to 64 bit yet. The sooner they can sweep away all 32 bit hardware the sooner we will see 64 bit only apps.
Agree completely. Devices using the A5 processors should have seen end of support this year.
With the introduction of this year's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the only iOS device left without 64-bit support is the base model iPhone 5c, which is now offered as a free-on-contract option from wireless carriers.
The iPad mini and iPod Touch (5th generation) are also 32-bit and are still being sold. Both have A5 processors.
Then there are the 32-bit models no longer sold which are able to run iOS 8: iPhone 4S (A5), iPhone 5 (A6), iPad 2 (A5), iPad 3 (A5X) and iPad 4 (A6X), most of which should be supported next year by iOS 9. 32-bit support will be needed for some time yet.
I understand why they are doing it, but I don't think the timing is opportune. They are still selling 32 bit phones that can be purchased but not get new apps or even an update. It's not like those phones and iPads are a small percentage of the devices in the wild.
Honestly, there was no need to have iOS 8 support for the 4S, iPad 2, iPad mini (non-retina). Supporting those processors unnecessarily holds things back. There are a lot of people who are having a poor experience running iOS 8 on these devices. What's going to happen when they try to run iOS 9 next year?
Are you crazy??? You do know that the iPad 2 has a 27% market share and the Mini 1 has a 20% Market share?? And that the iPad 2 was sold up to March and the iPad Mini 1 is still on sale? I hardly see how it holds things back, if anything Apple spent NO time optimising for older devices sadly. Perhaps if they developed better for the older devices, they'd develop a less resource hungry iOS that would also run better on newer devices. The 4S has 20% of the iPhone market as well. You obviously don't own any of these so you don't give a damn about support for the millions of people using these devices.
They're still selling the Mini 1, the iPod Touch 5 and the 5C which are all 32 Bit devices. The iPhone 5/5C, iPad 4 will definitely get iOS 9 and possibly iOS 10 (Hopefully). The A5 devices should be getting iOS 9 as well considering that they have a large market share and Apple is still selling them now.
There is a huge installed base of A5 and A6 devices, so 32 Bit support is not going to vanish.
Kudos to Apple for progressing technology forward. Microsoft should have done the right thing years (decades) ago. Shame on them for not ushering us into the 64 bit age when they had the chance. Just another reason I admire Apple's core values.
So, 128-bit iOS devices next fall?
/s
Hopefully they can port Dreamcast and PS2 games then.
Yes, upgrading my iPad 2 to ios 8 was a mistake. It definitely slowed it down considerably. Surprised Apple allowed it.
Do yourself a favour and upgrade your iPad. If you don't want to spend on an Air2, you can probably get an Air at a great price. Will be 1000X better than what you have now.
Do yourself a favour and upgrade your iPad. If you don't want to spend on an Air2, you can probably get an Air at a great price. Will be 1000X better than what you have now.
Or do a clean install. Worked wonders on my iPad 2.