Hours after releasing the iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5 for general consumption, Apple instructed developers that it will no longer accept any iPhone and iPod touch applications that are incompatible with the operating system update.
In an email sent to developers Thursday, Apple writes “Beginning today, all submissions to the App Store will be reviewed on the latest beta of iPhone OS 3.0. If your app submission is not compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, it will not be approved.”
Apple first unveiled the iPhone OS 3.0 beta in mid-March, promising more than 100 new features to bolster the functionality of iPhone and iPod touch applications.
According to Apple, the SDK for iPhone OS 3.0 boasts more than 1,000 new APIs, including support for apps to communicate with hardware accessories attached to iPhone or iPod touch devices.
The update will also include the long-promised Apple Push Notification service, which offers developers a channel to alert users of new information, even when the application isn't running.
Additional highlights of the SDK include in-app purchase, peer-to-peer connectivity, Map Kit and iPod library access.
For more on the iPhone app submission update:
- read this Unofficial Apple Weblog article