App Store 64-bit required

As of February 1, 2015, Apple requires that all apps submitted to the App Store need to be built with the iOS 8 software development kit and include 64-bit support. Furthermore, on June 1, 2015, all app updates submitted to the App Store will need to be built in the same way.

The spirit of this change is to force developers to release apps that take advantage of 64-bit support and are iOS 8 compliant. Apple is hoping that this will improve the app performance and experience of their new iOS 8 compliant devices.

This has created a headache for developers who have applications that were built using 32-bit libraries many years before there was even a 64-bit iPhone. It might mean the end of updates for some projects because their linked libraries no longer work and the cost of upgrading won’t bring enough ROI.

In my opinion, this change is unnecessary and is just another way for Apple to make their older devices obsolete much faster. Why do you really need to buy the next new iPhone when the performance differences between each version is marginal or exactly the same.