Apple tells iPhone app developers; update or be dumped

Computer giant Apple is giving developers of iPhone and iPod Touch applications a warning to upgrade their programs or face having their products removed from the App Store.

Apple announced that it will be testing all existing applications with a new version of both devices’ operating system, and that any incompatible programs will be rejected from the store.

The company said in an email to developers that all programs must be compatible with the new 3.0 iPhone operating software, which will be released in the next few months.

“Existing apps in the App Store should already run on iPhone OS 3.0 without modification, but you should test your existing apps with iPhone OS 3.0 to ensure that there are no compatibility issues,” the email said.

“After iPhone OS 3.0 becomes available to customers, any app that is incompatible with iPhone OS 3.0 may be removed from the App Store.”

Current iPhone and iPod Touch application developers have had access to a beta version of the new software since March, when its introduction was announced by Apple.

The new software – to which developers already have access in this beta version – will feature “push” updates, voice memo recording, the ability to copy and paste text and Bluetooth abilities for both the iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

The update is eagerly awaited by the Australian iPhone developer community, riding on the success of the App Store – which has recently recorded its one billionth download.

But the App Store has been a subject of controversy for the company in the past few weeks. Apple has been pressured by industry groups to release higher standards for its applications, after it was forced to pull a program that simulated a user killing an infant by shaking the device.

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