Apple appears to be dropping support for 32-bit apps in an upcoming version of its mobile operating system, as evidenced in a warning message that is now popping up in the first beta for iOS 10.3.
According to the pop-up message, which appears when a user launches a 32-bit app with the iOS 10.3 beta installed, the app will not work with future versions of iOS, and that the developer will need to update it to improve the app's compatibility with Apple's mobile operating system.
The Transition To 64-Bit Apps On iOS
When Apple launched the iPhone 5s, its A7 chip made it the first 64-bit device of the company. Apple's iOS 7, when running on a device with the A7 chip, also became the first 64-bit version of the mobile operating system.
Beginning February 2015, Apple required developers who were submitting apps to the App Store to feature 64-bit support, and by June 2015, all updates sent to the App Store also required 64-bit support.
The App Store still continued to support 32-bit apps, but when the iOS 9 was rolled out, it included a message that is displayed on the first time that a user launches a 32-bit app. The pop-up says that users may experience a decline in device performance due to the legacy app.
In June of last year, beta versions of iOS 10 came with a warning message on 32-bit apps, but they were removed from the mobile operating system when it was released to the public.
Now, with the first beta for the iOS 10.3, the warning message against 32-bit apps has been restored.
It is not stated what future version of the iOS will drop support for 32-bit apps and exclusively allow 64-bit apps, but due to this being a major development, the likely rollout of the change will be alongside iOS 11.
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 11 at the company's Worldwide Developer Conference this summer. The move to exclusive 64-bit support will also likely mean that the upcoming version of the mobile operating system will not be released to Apple devices that are on 32-bit architecture, including the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and older, the fourth-generation standard iPad and the first iPad mini.
What This Means To iOS Device Users
In September 2016, Apple announced that it will clean up the App Store by removing outdated and abandoned apps that are still listed, in a move that looks to make it easier for customers to search for the app that would fit what they need. In November 2016, a report stated that Apple removed 47,300 apps from the App Store due to the initiative in October.
The reason behind the drop of 32-bit support coincides with the purpose of the App Store cleanup, which is to provide users with a consistent quality experience for their iOS devices. Apps that are built on a 32-bit platform might still run on iOS devices, but they will not support the newest APIs for the mobile operating system, with users likely to experience crashes and other problems with them.
If Apple will indeed move to exclusive support for 64-bit apps in iOS 11, it would mean that Apple can drop all 32-bit code in the mobile operating system, resulting in a more streamlined and quality-focused experience.
