ipa archive build for armv7, armv7s and arm64 cannot be installed to iOS 5.1.1 devices

Question

I support iOS 5.1.1 as iOS Deployment Target with Base SDK iOS7. Now I have the issue that iOS5.1.1 devices cannot install the app via Hockey or via iTunes after archive because of the contained fat binary. Of course I can create a further job to our build server that builds only for lower iOS6 without arm64 but that's very inconvenient.

Build-Settings:

ARCHS="armv7 armv7s arm64" ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH=NO

If I build only for active architecture "armv7" I can install the archive via itunes.

Can it be that apple removing the 64bit binary code before the app is delivered to iOS 5.1.1 devices?

Thanks, Markus

Answer 1

Create the iPa file by archiving without a device connected. I have found issues where archiving with a newer device, Xcode seems to pick up its architecture and can affect older device saying 'incompatible'

Contrary to what I initially thought, you don't have to have a device connected while archiving, just so long as it's not the simulator that's selected.

I hope this helps anyone else with the same issues.