Reports indicate that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will cease to offer support for 32-bit applications in its upcoming version of the iOS. This was discovered by Peter Steinberger, an Austrian-based developer who saw a pop-up message while testing out iOS 10.3 beta.
“This app will not work with future versions of iOS. The developer of this app needs to update it to improve its compatibility,” read the pop-up message.
It is estimated that the move could affect tens of thousands of apps. Some of the popular apps that could be impacted include Ridiculous Fishing and Ocarina, which are credited with fueling the rise of the app economy and mobile gaming.
Gradual phase out
This is not the first time such warning messages will be appearing, though. In iOS 10 and iOS 9 for instance, a warning appears saying that opening 32-bit apps will slow down an iPhone. The difference this time is the wording with the implication of the latest warning being that 32-bit apps will not be supported under any circumstances. This suggests that the phasing out of the old apps will most likely begin with iOS 11.
Apple first moved to the 64-bit architecture with the iPhone 5S which came with the A7 processor. The Cupertino, California-based company has since then been piling pressure on developers to upgrade their applications. Notices requiring the upgrades had been posted on Apple’s developer webpage from as far back as 2014.
No updates or upgrades
The shift to 64-bit software will mean 32-bit devices such as the fourth-generation iPad and iPhone 5C, and iPhone 5 will become obsolete as they will not be able to get app updates or even updates to their operating system.
iOS 10.3 is the most recent update released by Apple. Some of its new features include the Find My AirPods app. Performance improvements and general bug fixes are some of the other enhancements that have come with the new operating system. iOS 11 is expected to be released later this year during the Worldwide Developers Conference.
In Friday’s trading session, shares of Apple Inc rose by 0.40 percent to close the day at $129.05.