Apple: New apps 'must be optimized for iOS 7'

After February 1, app submissions must adhere to guidelines for Apple's most current mobile operating system.

Richard Nieva Former senior reporter

Richard Nieva was a senior reporter for CNET News, focusing on Google and Yahoo. He previously worked for PandoDaily and Fortune Magazine, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, on CNNMoney.com and on CJR.org.

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Richard Nieva

Dec. 17, 2013 5:20 p.m. PT

Apple's iOS 7. Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET

Apple is taking a sterner approach in trying to move app developers into the world of iOS 7.

The company on Tuesday said that all new apps and app updates submitted after February 1, 2014, "must be optimized for iOS 7" and built with the latest version of Xcode 5, a software application for developers.

It's nothing new for Apple to want to push developers toward its most current operating system, and that sentiment could be intensified for iOS 7, it's most drastic overhaul of the mobile OS. But the company has at times been more lenient with developers clinging to older versions, letting individual app makers decide whether they wanted to make old versions of the app -- like those compatible with iOS 6 -- available for download. The new app store restriction looks like it's trying to put all developers on the same page.