Removing support for iPhone 3G

Question

I have a product that currently supports ARMV6 and ARMV7, meaning iPhone 3G is supported. However, it is our goal to migrate to straight ARMV7 architecture (to reduce binary size, and resolve some build errors we have with certain ARMV7 only libraries that we are linking against). However, we do not want to totally leave 3G users in the dark, and allow them to download the lower version that still supports their hardware. My question is this:

Does anyone know what the App Store behavior (either documented or anecdotal) for this sort of upgrade is?

I know that 3G users will stil be able to use the application if they have it, and that upgrading to the new ARMV7 version will be disallowed... but what about users that have to reinstall on the 3G device? Will the store allow them to download the older version, or will it just tell them to get new hardware?

Answer 1

If you upload a new version which does not have arm6 support, 3G users will not see the update and will remain on the last supported version. However, 3G users that did not have the previous version installed will no longer be able to install it.

If you keep the old version with arm6 support and make a new app ID that is arm7 only, 3GS, 4 and 4S users will have to re-download the new version.

The App Store never allows installing an old version.

Answer 2

Generally if you change the requirements for your app, people without it wont be able to get it or install it on their device.

When an update goes live older versions won't be available to download any more. At least this is what it looks like.

Answer 3

From what my experience has been here's what will happen:

1. 3G users that currently have the app locally (in iTunes) on their computers will be able to install that app onto their arm6 devices indefinitely.

2. 3G users that do not have the app locally will not be able to install the app onto their arm6 device however they will be able to download the app indefinitely (as long as the package identifier has not changed iTunes will see this user as having purchased it indefinitely)

3. Once you disallow arm6, new arm6 users will be locked out of the application (but they can still download it locally).