Category: Apple Developer News

Use the latest advances in Siri to provide an interactive voice experience with follow-up questions, additional shortcut customization, and audio content playback. Your apps can let Siri know when a user makes a reservation so Siri can remind them to check in, provide directions in Maps, add the event to Calendar, and more. And with the Shortcuts app built in to iOS 13, it’s even faster for users to find, use, and combine shortcuts.

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June 3, 2019

You can now submit developer feedback and file bug reports to Apple using the native Feedback Assistant app for iOS and Mac, which features automatic on-device diagnostics, remote bug filing, more detailed bug forms, and more bug statuses. You can also use the Feedback Assistant website. Feedback Assistant replaces Bug Reporter.

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June 3, 2019

Mac apps, installer packages, and kernel extensions that are signed with Developer ID must also be notarized by Apple in order to run on macOS Catalina. This will help give users more confidence that the software they download and run, no matter where they get it from, is not malware by showing a more streamlined Gatekeeper interface.

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The App Store is dedicated to the best store experience for everyone. In order to continue providing a safe experience for users and a great opportunity for developers to be successful, we sometimes need to update the App Store Review Guidelines.

Please note these summaries of the latest changes and see the App Store Review Guidelines for full details. All guidelines are now enforced for new and existing apps, unless otherwise indicated.

• Guidelines 1.3 and 5.1.4. In order to help keep kids’ data private, apps in the kids category and apps intended for kids cannot include third-party advertising or analytics software and may not transmit data to third parties. This guideline is now enforced for new apps. Existing apps must follow this guideline by September 3, 2019.
• Guideline 4.7. HTML5 games distributed in apps may not provide access to real money gaming, lotteries, or charitable donations, and may not support digital commerce. This functionality is only appropriate for code that’s embedded in the binary and can be reviewed by Apple. This guideline is now enforced for new apps. Existing apps must follow this guideline by September 3, 2019.
• Guideline 5.4. Because VPN provides access to sensitive data, VPN apps may not sell, use, or disclose to third parties any data for any purpose, and must commit to this in their privacy policy. Certain types of apps — such as those for parental control, content blocking, and security — from approved providers may use the NEVPNManager API.
• Guideline 5.5. (New) Because MDM provides access to sensitive data, MDM apps must request the mobile device management capability, and may only be offered by commercial enterprises, such as business organizations, educational institutions, or government agencies, and, in limited cases, companies utilizing MDM for parental controls. MDM apps may not sell, use, or disclose to third parties any data for any purpose, and must commit to this in their privacy policy.
• Guideline 5.1.3(i). Apps may use a user’s health or fitness data to provide a benefit directly to that user, such as a reduced insurance premium, if the app is submitted by the entity providing the benefit and the data is not shared with a third party. The developer must also disclose to the user the specific health data collected from the device.
• Guideline 5.1.1(viii) (New). Apps that compile information from any source that is not directly from the user or without the user’s explicit consent, even public databases, are not permitted on the App Store.
• Guideline 5.1.1(ii). Apps must get consent for data collection, even if the data is considered anonymous at the time of or immediately following collection.
• Guideline 1.1.3. Apps may not facilitate purchase of ammunition.
• Guideline 4.2.7. Remote desktop clients now include game consoles owned by the user. Software appearing in the client must be fully executed on the host device.

Demo videos of app functionality that is geo-locked or otherwise restricted are not accepted. Developers must provide a fully functional app for review.

Sign In with Apple will be available for beta testing this summer. It will be required as an option for users in apps that support third-party sign-in when it is commercially available later this year.

April 23, 2019

You can now use Transporter, Apple’s command-line delivery tool, to upload and manage subscription offers using XML. Transporter integrates with your content management system to deliver your app metadata in bulk.

For details on using XML to upload and manage subscription offers, see the App Metadata Specification.

We’re working with developers to create a safer Mac user experience through a process where all software, whether distributed on the App Store or outside of it, is signed or notarized by Apple. With the public release of macOS 10.14.5, we require that all developers creating a Developer ID certificate for the first time notarize their apps, and that all new and updated kernel extensions be notarized as well. This will help give users more confidence that the software they download and run, no matter where they get it from, is not malware by showing a more streamlined Gatekeeper interface.

Learn how to get your software notarized

March 27, 2019

Now you can use Apple Search Ads to reach customers in 46 more countries and regions at the very moment they’re searching for apps like yours. Take advantage of this efficient and easy way to promote your app at the top of relevant App Store search results with a 100 USD credit toward your first app promotion.

Learn more about Apple Search Ads

Sales and Trends reports have been updated to include information on the performance of your subscription offers. The following data is now available:

Summary Sales Report

Subscription offers are identified by their reference name in the Order Type column of your Sales Summary Report. See how many of your subscribers have redeemed offers.

Subscription Report

Promotional Offer Name and Promotional Offer ID columns have been added to your report to indicate that a report line item is an active subscription offer.

Subscription Event Report

New subscription events have been added to show when subscribers redeem your offers, and if they upgrade, downgrade, and cross-grade when the offer ends.

Subscriber Report

Promotional Offer Name and Promotional Offer ID columns have been added to your report to show which subscribers are on standard paid subscriptions and which are currently using introductory or subscription offers.

The new reports are available in Sales and Trends starting today. If you are using Reporter or the App Store Connect APIto automate report downloads, make sure you’re using version parameter 1_2. Report version 1_1 will soon be unavailable.

To learn more, see Download and View Reports.

iOS 12 is now running on more than 80% of devices worldwide. Make sure your app delivers a great user experience by seamlessly integrating with the latest advances in iOS. Starting March 27, 2019, all new apps and app updates for iPhone or iPad, including universal apps, must be built with the iOS 12.1 SDK or later and support iPhone XS Max or the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation). Screenshots for these devices will also be required. All new apps and app updates for Apple Watch will need to be built with the watchOS 5.1 SDK or later and support Apple Watch Series 4.

Understanding Changes in Memory Accounting
iOS 12 and tvOS 12 require apps to use memory far more efficiently than before. If you have difficulty reducing your app’s memory requirements, contact us to request an entitlement for your app to use iOS 11-style memory accounting.

Learn more about preparing your apps

March 14, 2019

Register by Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. PDT for your chance to join us and thousands of coders, creators, and crazy ones at this year’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, June 3-7.

Learn more about WWDC