Apple puts forward 64-bit requirement for iOS application developers, cites June 1st, 2015 deadline

It’s time for iOS developers to go all-in on 64-bit come next June.

Per AppleInsider, Apple on Wednesday alerted members of its development community that existing applications on the App Store will need to include 64-bit support for any updates submitted after June 1 of next year.

The clarification from Apple comes after developers expressed confusion regarding the company’s 64-bit app update policies. With Wednesday’s announcement, developers now have more than six months to prepare for the switch.

All newly submitted apps will require 64-bit support beginning on Feb. 1, 2015. They must also be built with the iOS 8 software development kit as of that deadline.

But developers will have longer to prepare their existing applications, as app updates will be allowed to remain 32-bit-only through the end of May.

Apple has advised developers that they can enable 64-bit in their project by using the default Xcode build setting of “Standard architectures.” This will build a single binary with both 32- and 64-bit code.

Apple began alerting developers to the 64-bit requirement for new applications in October, which caused confusion about existing app updates. Apple was first to bring 64-bit portable computing to the mainstream with the launch of the iPhone 5s in 2013.

If you’re in the iOS development community and this affects what you may be doing with your work, please let us know what you think in the comments.