Apple to require all new iOS apps to support iPhone X starting in April

Apple has announced that all new apps submitted to the App Store after April 2018 will be required to support the iPhone X. In an e-mail sent to registered developers, the company heralded the new features that iOS 11 has brought to the iOS platform, adding that “Starting April 2018, all new iOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with the iOS 11 SDK, included in Xcode 9 or later. All new apps for iPhone, including universal apps, must support the Super Retina display of iPhone X.” Apple’s page on Submitting iOS apps to the App Store also adds that developers should make sure their App Store product page showcases updates for the Super Retina display of the iPhone X, and provides additional tips for developers on how to make sure that their apps look great on the iPhone X and how to submit proper screenshots for their App Store pages.
Apple notes that developers should ensure that they respect safe areas on the iPhone X as well as supporting adaptive layouts, and adds that screenshots should be created from the iPhone X or the iPhone X simulator in Xcode 9.0.1 and uploaded as-is with no modifications, adding that “rounded corners will be automatically applied after upload.” Interestingly, developers are also being told to leave the home indicator in the screenshots if it’s visible, and to avoid using screenshots placed inside an image of an iPhone. Text descriptors are still allowed in screenshots, although developers are advised to keep text away from the corners to avoid cropping. For now, the April 2018 deadline only appears to apply to new apps. Apple has not released any information on when app updates will fall under the same requirements.