Apple to stop accepting apps that access UDIDs and fail to meet other requirements

Apple has made a couple of big announcements, the most immediate of which is that in a little over a month, the company will stop accepting apps – both updates and new submissions – that access UDIDs. On the same date that change goes into effect, Apple will also stop taking in applications for apps that don't support its latest handset, as well as a couple other requirements.

For those who don't know, UDID stands for Unique Device IDentifiers, and is, as its name so eloquently suggests, a unique identifier for a specific Apple device, such as your iPhone or iPad. Users are able to access and view their own UDID via iTunes, but starting May 1, Apple will stop accepting and thusly fade out apps that can access the string of numbers and letters.

Instead, Apple has instructed developers to "update your apps and servers to associate users with the Vendor or Advertising identifiers introduced in iOS 6." This is in addition to other requirements it has put in place for new app submissions, with applications that don't meet the requirements being rejected.

Also starting on May 1, developers will need to make sure their apps support the company's latest handset, the iPhone 5, as well as four-inch displays and iOS devices that have a Retina display. This goes for app updates as well, so developers with current apps that plan to roll out updates have a little over a month before the change goes into effect. Information about this can be found in Apple's iOS Human Interface Guidelines, says the announcement.

[via 9to5 Mac]