Apple notary service update

Apple notary service update

If you notarize Mac software with the Apple notary service using the altool command-line utility or Xcode 13 or earlier, you’ll need to transition to the notarytool command-utility or upgrade to Xcode 14 or later. Starting November 1, 2023, the Apple notary service will no longer accept uploads from altool or Xcode 13 or earlier. Existing notarized software will continue to function properly.

Learn about notarizing software

Intermediate certificate update

Intermediate certificate update

Receipts in new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store, as well as all apps in sandbox, will be signed with the SHA‑256 intermediate certificate. If your app verifies App Store transactions using the AppTransaction and Transaction APIs, or the verifyReceipt web service endpoint, no action is required.

If your app validates App Store receipts on device, make sure your app will support the SHA-256 version of this certificate. New apps and app updates that don’t support the SHA-256 version of this certificate will no longer be accepted by the App Store starting August 16, 2023.

App Store global pricing update in May

App Store global pricing update in May

Pricing for existing apps and one-time in-app purchases will be updated with enhanced global prices across App Store storefronts using your current price in the United States as the basis—unless you’ve made relevant updates after March 8, 2023. This update has been deferred to later this year for the App Store in Türkye.

Learn more

Xcode 14.1

Xcode 14.1

iOS and iPadOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 14.1 and the iOS 16.1 SDK or later. And watchOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 14.1 and the watchOS 9.1 SDK or later.

Learn about submitting apps

Subscription reports

Transition from subscription reports version 1.2 to 1.3

Subscription reports version 1.2 will no longer be available as of March 1, 2023. If you automatically download subscription reports using the App Store Connect API or Reporter, please update your query parameter to version 1.3 if you haven’t already.

XML

Transition from XML to App Store Connect API

The XML feed will no longer support in-app purchases, subscriptions, metadata, or app pricing as of November 9, 2022. You can manage this content via the App Store Connect REST API, which makes it easy to customize and automate your workflows.

The XML feed will continue to support existing Game Center management functionality.

Learn more about the API

App Store

Online group event in-app purchases

App Store Review Guideline 3.11 requires apps offering paid online group services to do so via in-app purchase. Given the recent resurgence of COVID and its continued impact on in-person services, we’ve extended the most recent deadline to June 30, 2022.

Learn more

App Store

Account deletion within apps

App Store Review Guideline 5.1.1 provides people with greater control over their personal data by stating that all apps that allow for account creation must also allow users to initiate deletion of their account from within the app. Due to the complexity of implementing this requirement we’ve extended the deadline to June 30, 2022.

Learn more

Xcode 14

32-bit app support has been discontinued in Xcode 14

Starting with Xcode 14, the ability to build a single binary with both 32-bit and 64-bit code has been removed. Xcode 14 will only build 64-bit apps. iOS 10, which was released in 2016, was the last version of iOS to run 32-bit apps. As of iOS 11, all 32-bit apps installed on device will not launch.

Learn more about Xcode

App Store

Xcode 13

iOS and iPadOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 13 and the iOS 15 SDK. And watchOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with Xcode 13 and the watchOS 8 SDK.

Learn more

App Store

TLS 1.0 and 1.1 deprecation

TLS 1.0 and 1.1 has been deprecated on Apple platforms as of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15, and support will be removed in future releases. If your app has enabled App Transport Security (ATS) on all connections, no changes are required. If your app continues to use legacy TLS 1.0 or 1.1, please make plans to transition to TLS 1.2 or later. We recommend supporting TLS 1.3, as it’s faster and more secure.

Learn more

App Store

Game Center authentication certificate

A new certificate for server-based Game Center verification will be available via the publicKeyUrl. The previous certificate will no longer be available after this date. As a reminder, make sure your app always retrieves and uses the current publicKeyUrl value so it automatically uses the new certificate.

Learn more

App Store

AppTrackingTransparency

Starting with iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5, all apps must use the AppTrackingTransparency framework to request the user’s permission to track them or to access their device's advertising identifier. Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them.

Learn more

App Store

APNs provider API

Push notifications must use the HTTP/2-based Apple Push Notification service (APNs) provider API. The API lets you take advantage of great features, such as authentication with a JSON Web Token, improved error messaging, and per-notification feedback. APNs will no longer support the legacy binary protocol after March 31, 2021.

Learn more

App Store

App privacy questions requirement

When you submit apps to the App Store, you’ll need to provide information about your app’s privacy practices, including the practices of third-party partners whose code you integrate into your app, in App Store Connect.

Learn more

App Store

App update submission requirement

App update submissions must fully comply with the following review guidelines:

  • Apps that authenticate or set up user accounts must support Sign in with Apple if required by guideline 4.8 of the App Store Review Guidelines.
  • Apps in the Kids category must be in full compliance with guideline 1.3 and guideline 5.1.4. of the App Store Review Guidelines.
  • Apps using HTML 5 must be in full compliance with guideline 4.7 of the App Store Review Guidelines.

Read the App Store Review Guidelines