Apple Will No Longer Approve Apps Using Unique Device Identifier (UDID) Beginning May 1, Must Also Support iPhone 5 and Retina Display

NewImageApple has informed app developers that it will no longer allow apps to use the unique device identifier or UDID after May 1, according to a post on Apple's developer website.

Instead, Apple requests developers use the new 'Vendor or Advertising identifiers' that were introduced in iOS 6. Developers will also be required to support both the Retina display and the iPhone 5's 4-inch display, beginning on May 1.

Using Identifiers in Your Apps
March 21, 2013

Starting May 1, the App Store will no longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs. Please update your apps and servers to associate users with the Vendor or Advertising identifiers introduced in iOS 6. You can find more details in the UIDevice Class Reference.

Make Your Apps Look Great on the Retina Display and iPhone 5
March 21, 2013

Starting May 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina display and iPhone apps must also support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5. Learn about preparing your apps by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.

Apple announced in 2011 that it would be phasing out developer access to UDID's, and instead create a non-identifying marker for advertisers to use. A year ago, it was reported that Apple began quietly rejecting apps for the use of the UDID, but this public announcement suggests Apple has gotten more serious about shutting down use of the identifier.

Apple had been under increased pressure to change how the UDID works due to the privacy implications of a developer knowing which particular iOS device is being used to access their app. Apple and several app developers were sued over the use of the UDID to track users across different apps. While the UDID doesn't specifically identify a user, the sharing of UDIDs across ad networks and apps can help piece together a valuable picture of activity and interests of the user of a specific device. Apple seems to be requiring apps to generate their own unique identifiers for each installation to avoid this ability to share such information across apps.

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
mac pro creativity

Apple Launched the Controversial 'Trashcan' Mac Pro 11 Years Ago Today

Thursday December 19, 2024 7:00 pm PST by
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup. The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

'iPhone 17 Air' With 'Major' Design Changes and 19-Inch MacBook Detailed in New Report

Sunday December 15, 2024 9:47 am PST by
Apple is planning a series of "major design" and "format changes" for iPhones over the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal's Aaron Tilley and Yang Jie. The paywalled report published today corroborated the widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" with an "ultrathin" design that is thinner than current iPhone models. The report did not mention a specific measurement, but previous...

Top Rated Comments

Moonjumper Avatar
153 months ago
Why make it retina required when they still sell products without retina like ohhhhh lets say the iPad mini.......

Because they do sell retina devices. It is not excluding non-retina devices, it is just making sure that all the retina devices are supported in all new apps or updates.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boshii Avatar
153 months ago
Why make it retina required when they still sell products without retina like ohhhhh lets say the iPad mini.......

Not sure if serious.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
153 months ago
Privacy trumps convenience, which is a good thing. Glad to see Apple implement this policy, even if it means a change in how developers approach their apps.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ccmovies Avatar
153 months ago
Why make it retina required when they still sell products without retina like ohhhhh lets say the iPad mini.......

Or even iPad 2.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SoGood Avatar
153 months ago
Good move Apple!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbeagle Avatar
153 months ago
Oh wow. That's REALLY going to piss off some developers - having to update their app for iPhone 5 even if they're just making a tiny update to the app.

You have this all backwards.

Apple wants to improve the quality of the apps in the app store. Developers should want their apps to be the best they can possibly be as well. As an app purchaser, you should be Happy with better quality.

Lazy developers should go code for Android.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)