app store - iOS 13 SDK deadline confusion for existing released apps

Question

I'm confused by Apple's latest email regarding their requirements for apps to use iOS SDK 13.

So first there was this message March 4th:

Submit Your iPhone Apps to the App Store

Starting April 30, 2020, all iPhone apps submitted to the App Store must be built with the iOS 13 SDK or later.

Then they send out this message on March 26th:

Deadline for App Updates has Been Extended

To accommodate developers who may need additional time to update their existing apps on the App Store, the deadline for adhering to the requirements below has been extended to June 30, 2020.

• Apps for iPhone or iPad must be built with the iOS 13 SDK or later and use an Xcode storyboard to provide the app’s launch screen.

I have an app that I have no need to update right now (it was built with iOS 12 SDK).

So what does that last message mean? Do I need to re-build and re-submit just to meet this requirement in order to keep my app on the App Store? Or do they only mean this is required for new app updates submitted?

Answer 1

Do I need to re-build and re-submit just to meet this requirement in order to keep my app on the App Store?

No. If you have no pressing need to release an app update, no action is needed on your part. The message applies only to developers who are either working on releasing a new app or an update to an existing app on the App Store.

Or do they only mean this is required for new app updates submitted?

Yes.

The message simply means that any developer looking to either release a new app or an update to an existing app on the App Store will have to build it using iOS 13 SDK starting April 30, 2020. The last message mean that the said deadline has been extended to June 30, 2020.

You can still release a new app or an update using iOS 12 SDK till June 29, 2020. (In your case, as your last release is built using iOS 12 SDK.)

Again, no action is needed on your part if there's no change in your app. Also, you can still release an app update, till June 29, 2020, using iOS 12 SDK.

Even starting June 30, 2020, no action would be required from your part. But past that point, any update that you wish to submit would be required to be built using iOS 13 SDK (Xcode 11).