Apple Requiring New and Updated Apps to Support iPhone XS Max and 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Starting March 27 - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Requiring New and Updated Apps to Support iPhone XS Max and 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Starting March 27

by

Apple today announced that all new and updated iPhone and iPad apps submitted to the App Store on and after March 27, 2019 must be built with the iOS 12.1 SDK or later and support the iPhone XS Max and/or the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro. ‌App Store‌ screenshots for those devices will also be required.

ipad pro iphone xs max
Likewise, all new apps and app updates for Apple Watch will need to be built with the watchOS 5.1 SDK or later and support the Apple Watch Series 4.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Maclver Avatar
95 months ago
About time! It shouldn't be that difficult for developers to make these adjustments.....
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
95 months ago
Awesome! Not going to miss seeing those bars on the top and bottom of the screen.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
95 months ago
12.9 came out in 2015. They’re starting to require support 4 years later...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigBossTony Avatar
95 months ago
what about 11-inch iPad Pro? a lot of apps still not running in fullscreen...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
95 months ago
About time! It shouldn't be that difficult for developers to make these adjustments.....
This is also a good way for Apple to keep the riff-raff out of the store. I just wish apps "expired" and disappeared if no updates have been submitted for at least two years.
[doublepost=1553108856][/doublepost]
Interesting that a lot of devs seemingly haven’t found it important to add support until Apple forced them to. Wonder if that says anything about product demand/usage.
Some devs are just in it to make a quick buck. They don't actually care about offering a solid app or a good user experience. They don't care about the app or the users, only the money. It's great that Apple keeps raising the bar like this. Make them devs work!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
95 months ago
Does that mean Instagram is finally going to be iPad friendly?
No because they don’t offer an iPad app so they aren’t required to follow anything but the iPhone standards
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple price hike

Apple Just Increased Prices on MacBooks, iPads, and More

Thursday June 25, 2026 5:44 am PDT by
Apple today dramatically increased device prices across multiple product lines. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. After temporarily taking it down earlier today, Apple's online store is back up with a series of product price increases. The changes are as follows: HomePod mini: $129, up from $99 (+$30) HomePod: $349, up from $299 (+$50) Apple TV: $199, up from...
iphone x flexible oled display

Apple Plans Wider Color Gamut for Future MacBook Pro, iMac, and iPad Pro

Monday June 29, 2026 6:35 am PDT by
Apple plans to adopt OLED panels capable of displaying a much wider range of colors, according to a new report from research firm TrendForce. The new panels would cover 95% of the BT.2020 color standard, which describes a far broader spectrum of colors than the DCI-P3 standard Apple's screens currently target. In practice, that means deeper, more accurate reds, greens, and blues. Reaching...
m5 ipad pro

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro in Spring 2027

Wednesday July 1, 2026 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple is planning to release new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models in spring 2027, reports Bloomberg. No major design changes are expected, with Apple focusing on internal upgrades. The iPad Pro models could use either M6 chips or M7 chips. Apple will introduce the M6 chip as soon as this year in an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro model, but it is aiming to release the M7 chip in the first...