Hold on to your favorite 32-bit apps while you still can because when the new iOS comes out, these apps will be gone.
If the devs won't upgrade, that is. Apple is said to completely drop its support for outdated 32-bit apps when the iOS 11 rolls out on September. The crackdown is in line with Apple's move toward 64-bit architecture, which started when it released the iPhone 5s in 2013. If this happens, around 187,000 apps will face incompatibility. Apple is preparing to launch its latest flagship iPhone 8 later this year.
Zero Support For 32-Bit
Steven Troughton-Smith, a prominent developer, tweeted about what he have been "hearing very clearly" from the developer's grapevine regarding the iOS 11. He urged the developers to update their legacy apps or face extinction when the new OS rolls out on September.
Apple's crackdown on 32-bit apps have been slow and steady, as apps can still function today but when iOS 11 finally comes out, it will be the final nail on the 32-bit coffin. This move is seen as part of Apple's spring-cleaning of "problematic and abandoned apps" from the App Store.
In 2014, Apple announced that all apps submitted to the App Store must have 64-bit support. The hints became clearer when Apple released the iOS 10.3 this March.
When users try to open a 32-bit app in iOS 10.3 beta (released for developers and early adopters), a notification message will pop out warning the user that the app must be updated by the developer.
The message reads:
"[App Name]" Needs to Be Updated.
This app will not work with future versions of iOS. The developer of this app needs to update it to improve compatibility.
Previously, with iOS 10.2.1, the warning sign read:
"[App Name]" May Slow Down Your iPad
The developer of this app needs to update it to improve its compatibility.
How To Identity 32-Bit Apps On Your iPhone
In iOS 10.3, Apple added a tool to identify all of the 32-bit apps on your iPhone.
To check for these apps on your phone, simply follow these steps: Go to Settings > Tap General. > Tap About. > Tap Applications. This brings up the list of 32-bit apps on your iPhone.
You can visit the apps in the App Store to check if the devs have come out with updates specifically for 64-bit support. As iOS 11's release draws closer, the developers must have the updates all ready for you.
