Can I update my 64-bit compatible iOS app without 64-bit compatibility?

Question

I have an app in the store which supports the arm64 architecture.

I've used a library that I've only recently found out doesn't support that architecture, but our customers don't need support for that architecture.
Is it possible for me to just release my app for arm7/arm7s architecture and have only the devices with the supported architectures update?

Answer 1

There's a possibility that Apple will reject the app in AppStore, but according to everything read it seems that until February 1, 2015 (new apps) and June 1, 2015 (new updates to existing apps), you can still submit an app without 64-bit compatibility to the App Store.

More info @ https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=10202014a

You can read there:

Starting February 1, 2015, new iOS apps uploaded to the App Store must include 64-bit support and be built with the iOS 8 SDK, included in Xcode 6 or later. To enable 64-bit in your project, we recommend using the default Xcode build setting of “Standard architectures” to build a single binary with both 32-bit and 64-bit code.

Update:

Following new directives received by Apple:

Beginning June 1, 2015 app updates will also need to follow the same requirements.

More info @ https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=12172014b

Which means that by February 1, only new apps need to comply to 64-bit directive. Updates to existing App Store apps will have until June 1 to do this.

Although it says it's a requirement starting at February 1 of 2015, you should try to circumvent that problem now before you have it later.

Answer 2

As far as I'm aware you can.

You will not get rejected for this reason. Just because you have previously supported the 64bit architecture does not mean you have to in your next binary. The current rule is that 64bit is not a requirement. Required architecture support is also not determined by that of previous binaries.

But as above, you will have to support 64bit after February 1st.