Apple publishes WWDC17 video transcripts, reminds developers of 64-bit app requirements

AppleInsider

Apple on Wednesday released searchable transcripts for its catalog of Worldwide Developers Conference 2017 videos, while at the same time reminding developers of 64-bit app restrictions related to its next-generation operating systems.

Announced through Apple's developer portal, the company transcribed each of the more than 130 WWDC17 sessions recorded this year and indexed the results into a searchable database. The company has made session transcripts available since 2015.

Available for viewing on the WWDC 2017 Videos webpage, the transcribed videos are broken down into categories including app frameworks, graphics and games, design, distribution, developer tools, media and system frameworks. The page currently boasts an assortment of featured videos ranging from new iOS 11 capabilities like drag-and-drop multitasking and augmented reality to introductions on basic developer tools like Core ML.

As with past transcripts, viewers can search by keyword to see every instance a word or phrase is mentioned in a particular video. Results show up as hyperlinks which, when clicked, take viewers directly to that point in the session. In addition, Apple notes users can copy and paste search results for easy sharing.

In a pair of separate posts to its developer news website, Apple reminded developers of upcoming app restrictions related to iOS 11 and macOS 10.13 High Sierra. Specifically, iOS 11 will only support 64-bit apps, while macOS High Sierra marks the last Mac operating system to support 32-bit titles.

According to Apple, support for 32-bit apps is "not available in iOS 11." 32-bit apps already installed on user devices will simply fail to launch in the next-generation OS, the company says.

Apple began warning developers of the upcoming 64-bit limitation last year, a process initiated with 64-bit support requirements in June 2015.

As for macOS, Apple has mandated that all new apps submitted to the Mac App Store support 64-bit architectures starting in January 2018, while existing apps must begin incorporating 64-bit support starting in June 2018. The company recommends developers distributing apps outside the official App Store follow identical protocols, as High Sierra will be the last macOS release to support 32-bit apps "without compromise."

seanismorris

I have several apps that still haven't been updated.  I'm probably going to loose them after upgrading to IOS11, but there are to many goodies in IOS11 not to make the upgrade.

My hope is Apple blocks App delevopers from releasing new Apps until they fix their older Apps.

For example, the original Civilization App was good but the new version was crap.  I own both but only play the older one.  There's probably going to be tons of orphaned Apps after IOS11.  The good thing is it will weed out a lot of the bad developers...  I still see games in the App Store that are still being sold but are no longer getting bug fixes.

shapetables

This is really awesome. For the 32-bit zombie apps, they should offer some kind of compatibility mode for the very common situation of an ODM, unemployed MBA or startup prince that hired an iOS hacker over the Internet at bottom-of-the-barrel wages, published an app and now doesn't have a business model to support hiring someone to come in, make sense of the (probably incomplete) zip file the hacker delivered with the source code years earlier and then recompile it for 64-bit, test and publish. Apple can reduce this kind of problem by requiring every published app to be internally associated with an Xcode user who has authority and capacity to issue fixes or to unpublish a broken app they don't want to fix but were left (by the app's owner) in charge of fixing.

aricb

support for 32-bit apps is "not available in iOS 11." Excellent!

Its not hard to get the iPad and iPhone ready now. Go to Settings -> General -> About -> Applications. Anything on that list is incompatible. I found the apps fall into a few categories...

1. Old apps i no longer use and be removed.
2. Old apps that i can replace with some other app in the app store (which is generally better anyways).
3. Google Earth that i suspect will be updated before the deadline.

jbdragon

aricb said:

support for 32-bit apps is "not available in iOS 11." Excellent!

Its not hard to get the iPad and iPhone ready now. Go to Settings -> General -> About -> Applications. Anything on that list is incompatible. I found the apps fall into a few categories...

1. Old apps i no longer use and be removed.
2. Old apps that i can replace with some other app in the app store (which is generally better anyways).
3. Google Earth that i suspect will be updated before the deadline.

There is a long list of app's that look like they will be gone. Some are no longer in the app store. Talking about clearing out my phone. There's a lot of Apps there I like. I hope most of them get updated, though I think it's unlikely.

macseeker

I still have an iPad 4.  I'll use it for 32 bit apps.  My iPad Air 2 will transition to 64 bit apps.  After iOS 11 is released, might get the iPad Pro 10.5.  By then, Belkin should have the keyboard/cover for it.  I love the Belkin for the iPad Air 2 that I have.

pscooter63

What I'm finding is, some devs took the 64-bit shift as a wake up call to improve their original product... and as such, there are separate 64-bit solutions from the same shop that may not have the same name, but equivalent or enhanced functionality.

The ones who "did it right" also maintained backward data compatibility.  That's a little harder to find, though... I guess you get what you pay for.

metriacanthosaurus

32-bit apps on iOS are abandonware at this point. Glad Apple is making this move.

It is going to be a little harder to take on macOS, where are not so many replacements for abandoned 32-bit apps, due to a far less active development community.