iOS 11 Features: 32-Bit Apps Won't Be Supported Soon
As newer versions of iOS go live, Apple is reminding developers and iOS users that 32-bit apps will likely not work with future software updates.
According to reports, the latest firmware update for iOS 10.3 is now giving a pretty direct prompt message that reiterates warnings related to outdated applications.
Eurogamer showed a screenshot of the said warning that says: "This app will not work with future versions of iOS. The developer of this app needs to update it to improve its compatibility."
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Similar warnings have started popping up since the first iOS 10.3 beta went live with the App Compatibility Program, and the message has become more specific in every update.
It is important to note though that Apple has never specifically mentioned that future iOS releases, such as iOS 11 that is expected to arrive in September, will not work with 32-bit apps. However, reports are positive it will happen since there are clear indications spotted in the previous months.
One major sign that supports this speculation is the fact that since 2015, Apple has required new app submissions to run on a 64-bit process. Just in October last year, Apple wiped out about 47,000 apps (via Sensor Tower) for being inactive in terms of when they last received updates from their developers.
In a newer Sensor Tower report, the analytics company determined that up to 187,000 apps might stop working and will be removed from the App Store if they will not be updated based on the requirements of newer iOS versions.
Apart from the mentioned indicators, well-known app developer Steven Troughton-Smith recently shared through his Twitter page that he has heard from several sources that "iOS 11 won't have 32bit app support at all."
He followed up with some practical advice, saying, "Update legacy apps now if you want them to survive past September." Troughton-Smith then replied that next A-series chips for mobile Apple products might not support 32-bit apps as well.
Stroughton-Smith clarified that upgrading software and chips to exclusively support 64-bit apps will not make older mobile units faster but it will help free up some random access memory space.
