Apple could kill off support for apps built using watchOS 1.0 SDK in watchOS 5.0 for "compatibility" reasons

[AlTech]

Apple could kill off support for apps built using watchOS 1.0 SDK in watchOS 5.0 for alleged compatibility reasons.

 

Currently in the watchOS 4.3.1 Beta users see a warning when launching apps built on the watchOS 1.0 SDK.

 

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A new beta for the latest update to watchOS 4 has acted as a warning call for Apple Watch app developers and reminds those who make apps on the platform to upgrade their creations.

If an app is still built using the watchOS 1 SDK (that came out alongside the original Apple Watch) and is opened on the watchOS 4.3.1 beta it displays a message that says, "The developer of this app needs to update it to improve its compatibility".

 

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If you tap OK, it will still run the app though, which suggests Apple won't drop support when the official watchOS 4.3.1 upgrade rolls out.  Instead many are speculating the upcoming watchOS 5 will sound the death knell for those apps built using the oldest SDK for the watch.

Instagram recently dropped its Apple Watch app and it's thought the company did this as it's based on the watchOS 1 SDK and it didn't see enough benefit in upgrading it with the more recent SDK tools.

We've also seen eBay, Twitter and Slack drop Apple Watch support over the last 12 months.

 

More big names?

Apple is encouraging developers to use the more recent watchOS 4 SDK, which makes sense as it's more stable and feature-filled than the original SDK released back in 2015. 

If other developers don't see enough benefit in upgrading their apps to the new SDK, like Instagram, it likely means you won't be able to use them after upgrading to watchOS 5.

We don't know for certain that it'll be the end of the apps, but the evidence currently points toward that upgrade being the end point for these apps.

 

This is likely to cause even more of an app problem for the Apple Watch as many big name apps have been pulled. In some cases, even Windows 10 Mobile is better supported than Apple Watch.

Also, fair warning for everybody who owns an Apple Watch Original 2015 model because it will likely not be supported in watchOS 5.0 .

 

Source: https://www.techradar.com/news/you-may-lose-more-apple-watch-apps-when-watchos-5-rolls-out

[captain_to_fire]

2 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Windows Phone

DOA 

[Mr.Meerkat]

Apps and all is nice on the apple watch (and smart watches in general) but who actually uses that many apps on such a small display? I personally only use my (smart) watch to keep time, to get notified when I get a notification on my phone (always on vibrate only) and sometimes read emails/text on it while I'm in class (, and maybe respond if required). 

 

Edit: Oh, forgot to say how I also use it to find my phone. 

[Windows7ge]

I find it funny how the masses who these corporate companies cater too just take the companies word for it like it's the gospel. Meanwhile we sit here knowing it's not a compatibility issue. The hardware and software could be designed to continue to support the old and new applications it's just the Apple doesn't want to do it. My best guess is because it wouldn't be profitable for them.

[AlTech]

7 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

I find it funny how the masses who these corporate companies cater too just take the companies word for it like it's the gospel. Meanwhile we sit here knowing it's not a compatibility issue. The hardware and software could be designed to continue to support the old and new applications it's just the Apple doesn't want to do it. My best guess is because it wouldn't be profitable for them.

The original Apple Watch uses a single core SOC though and is painfully slow.

[Master Disaster]

I'll just leave this here for anybody whose interested...

 

https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/nono313/planned-obsolescence-34845885

[Windows7ge]

2 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

The original Apple Watch uses a single core SOC though and is painfully slow.

If I'm understanding your topic correctly I'm referring to later models keeping backwards compatibility. Not older models with endless forwards compatibility.

 

Or did I misinterpret what you meant?

[Sauron]

That sounds reasonable to be honest. This is definitely not the problem with the apple watch line.

 

They should definitely be worried about big names dropping the platform though.

[DrMacintosh]

I mean who uses WatchOS apps? 

 

I have an Apple Watch and the only apps I really use are the stock ones. 

 

Apple Watches best feature is its notifications and rich notification support for things like quick replies and liking tweets. 

[iamdarkyoshi]

And yet my core 2 duo macbook is still getting updates

[Cheezdoodlez]

I must join the group of people here saying third party apps more or less doesn't matter anyways. 

 

I went through my apps list and I have two third party apps. One for my grocery list and one for my password manager. 

 

Apple already have the apps I need on a daily basis. Now playing, calendar, timer, weather, time, notifications, homekit and activity tracking.... And that thing pinging my phone to locate it. I swear to God, how did I live without that feature. 

 

 

Edit: more on the topic. This feels nothing more like what they did on ios when they killed 32bit app support. Cleaning out old unsupported apps. Sure it sucks if you use an old app but yeah. Try running red alert on a windows 7/10 pc with the original installer. It's not just plug and play.